f 


iO    i 


BS  2551  .F3  1916 
Faris,  John  Thomson,  1871- 
The  Christian  according  to 
Paul 


THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO   PAUL 


EVERYDAY   LIFE   SERIES 

John  T.  Paris:  The  Christian  According  to  Paul 

Cleland  B.  McAfee:     Psalms  of  the  Social  Life 

(In  preparation) 

Fhilip  E.  Howard:    The  Many-Sided  David  (In  preparation) 
Other  volumes  to  be  announced  later 


EVERYDAY    LIFE    SERIES 


The   Christian  According 
to  Paul 


JOHN    T.   PARIS 

Author  of  "The  Book   of   Faith  in  God,''    ''The  Book  of  God's 
Providence,"   etc. 


( 


>>  ^ 


NOV  17  m^ 


New    York:    124    East   28th    Street 

London:  47  Paternoster  Row,  E.  C. 

1916 


Copyright.  19  i6,  by 

The  International  Committee  of 

Young  Men's    Christian  Associations 


The  Bible  Text  used  in  this  volume  is  taken  from  the 
American  Standard  Edition  of  the  Revised  Bible,  copyright 
1 90 1,  by  Thomas  Nelson  &  Sons,  and  is  used  by  permission. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  In  the   Dark i 

II.  Into  the  Light  12 

III.  Blilding  on  Solid  Foundation 22 

IV.  Armed   for  Conquest 32 

V.  The  Worthy  .Walk 43 

VI.  Living  by  Faith 54 

VII.  The  Christian  Go-\l 63 

VIII.  One  With  Christ 73 

IX.  The  Law  of  Love 83 

X.  The  Secret  of  Happiness 93 

XI.  Things  to  Pray  For  103 

XII.  Reasons  for  Thanksgiving 112 

XIII.  Life  That  Lasts  Forever 121 


CHAPTER   I 

In  the  Dark 

DAILY  READINGS 
First  Week,  First  Day 

Ye  were  at  that  time  separate  from  Christ,  alienated 
from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from 
the  covenants  of  the  promise,  having  no  hope  and  without 
God  in  the  world. — Eph.  2:12. 

Times  have  changed,  but  have  the  hearts  of  men  changed? 
How  truly  do  the  outstanding  words  and  phrases  of  this 
verse,  in  which  Paul  vividly  described  to  the  Ephesians  their 
state  before  they  accepted  Christ,  picture  the  condition  of 
those  today  who  do  not  know  Christ?  What  does  it  mean 
that  they  are  apart  from  the  company  of  those  who  live 
in  Christ's  light?  What  is  the  result  of  the  fact  that  their 
manner  of  life  has  set  them  in  opposition  to  the  friends  of 
Christ?  Is  it  a  loss  that  they  are  strangers  to  his  ways,  his 
thoughts,  his  promises?  Have  they  hope  of  any  real  good? 
What  is  the  effect  of  being  without  God?  How  much  real 
satisfaction  can  there  be  in  the  life  that  does  not  know  him? 

What  book  in  the  Bible  has  most  to  say  about  hope?  Who 
inspires  hope?  How  important  a  place  does  Paul  give  to 
hope?     (Consult  a  concordance.) 

First  Week,  Second  Day 

For  the  invisible  things  of  him  since  the  creation  of 
the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  perceived  through  the 
things  that  are  made,  even  his  everlasting  power  and 
divinity;  that  they  may  be  without  excuse:  because  that, 
knowing  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither 
gave  thanks;  but  became  vain  in  their  reasonings,  and 
their   senseless    heart   was    darkened.      Professing    them- 


II-3]      THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

selves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools,  and  changed  the 
glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  for  the  likeness  of  an 
image  of  corruptible  man,  and  of  birds,  and  four-footed 
beasts,  and  creeping  things.  Wherefore  God  gave  them 
up  in  the  lusts  of  their  hearts  unto  uncleanness,  that 
their  bodies  should  be  dishonored  among  themselves. — 
Rom.  1 :  20-24. 

There  are  those  who  say  they  cannot  know  God.  But  has 
anyone  a  valid  excuse  for  remaining  in  ignorance  of  him? 
Why  do  some  profess  to  think  it  an  evidence  of  superior 
wisdom  to  deny  the  existence  of  God?  Why  is  the  denial 
in  reality  the  final  folly?  The  people  of  whom  Paul  spoke 
revealed  their  folly  by  the  substitution  of  man-made  idols 
for  the  only  true  God.  Read  in  Isa.  44:  14-17  a  vivid  pic- 
ture of  such  childish  substitution.  How  is  like  folly  shown 
today?  What  are  some  of  the  things  people  worship  instead 
of  God?  What  will  be  the  result  of  worshiping  fame,  money, 
position,  ease,  society?  There  is  good  in  all  of  these  things. 
But  when  do  they  cease  to  be  good?  What  is  the  one  way 
of  making  the  most  of  them? 

Is  there  anything  in  my  life  to  which  I  am  giving  the  alle- 
giance that  belongs  to  God? 

First  Week,  Third  Day 

..  And  even  as  they  refused  to  have  God  in  their  knowl- 
edge, God  gave  them  up  unto  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do 
those  things  which  are  not  fitting;  being  filled  with  all 
unrighteousness,  wickedness,  covetousness,  maliciousness; 
full  of  envy,  murder,  strife,  deceit,  malignity;  whisperers, 
backbiters,  hateful  to  God,  insolent,  haughty,  boastful, 
inventors  of  evil  things,  disobedient  to  parents,  without 
understanding,  covenant-breakers,  without  natural  affec- 
tion, unmerciful:  who,  knowing  the  ordinance  of  God, 
that  they  that  practise  such  things  are  worthy  of  death, 
not  only  do  the  same,  but  also  consent  with  them  that 
practise  them. — Rom.  i:  28-32. 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  dwelling  on  the  thought  of  past 
sin  in  an  unwholesome  manner.  When  we  confess  our  sins 
to.  God  he  puts  them  behind  his  back.  Then  why  should  we 
call  them  up?  Why  not,  rather,  spend  our  strength  in  fac- 
ing up  continually  to  our  lives,  like  men?     Shall  we,  like  the 

2 


IN  THE  DARK  [I-4] 

man  who  weakly  stays  away  from  the  dentist  because  he 
fears  to  face  the  fact  that  his  teeth  need  instant  attention, 
Wind  ourselves  to  the  havoc  that  sin  is  working  today  in  our 
Hves?  Is  anyone  free  from  the  necessity  of  facing  the  facts 
of  sin?  Are  not  many  of  the  sins  in  that  overwhelming  list 
Paul  gave  in  the  verses  quoted  above  continually  present, 
even  in  the  lives  of  many  Christians?  How  do  Matt.  5:  28 
and  I  John  3:  15  help  us  to  answer  this  question?  Until 
we  understand  our  own  weakness  and  our  unused  oppor- 
tunities, there  will  be  no  impulse  to  seek  the  Power  who  can 
bring  us  to  mean  something  to  the  world. 

First  Week,  Fourth  Day 

Now  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are 
these:  fornication,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  idolatry, 
sorcery,  enmities,  strife,  jealousies,  wraths,  factions,  divi- 
sions, parties,  envyings,  drunkenness,  revellings,  and  such 
like;  of  which  I  forewarn  you,  even  as  I  did  forewarn 
you,  that  they  who  practise  such  things  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God. — Gal.  5:   19-21. 

Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  a  temple  of  God,  and  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?  If  any  man  destroyeth 
the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God  destroy;  for  the  temple 
of  God  is  holy,  and  such  are  ye. — i  Cor.  3:  16,  17. 

"My  body  is  my  own!"  the  objection  is  sometimes  heard 
from  one  who  has  been  urged  to  give  up  a  bad  habit  that 
threatens  the  well-being  of  the  body.  How  true  is  the 
statement?  If  we  are  not  our  own,  whose  are  we?  What 
right  did  creation  give  to  God,  the  Creator?  In  whose 
image  are  we  created?  If  God's  Spirit  dwells  in  us,  how 
should  we  keep  God's  temple,  the  body?  What  did  Jesus 
do  when  he  saw  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  defiled  by  unworthy 
deeds?  What  does  cleansing  the  temple  of  the  body  involve? 
What  would  be  your  reply  to  an  acquaintance  who  says  he 
will  commit  some  sin  "just  this  once,"  or  who  offers  the 
specious  argument,  "I  have  given  up  so  many  bad  habits, 
surely  God  will  not  be  hard  on  me  if  I  cling  to  this  one  a 
little  longer"?  Can  you  point  to  a  passage  in  the  Bible 
that  justifies  such  playing  with  sin? 

How  does  the  last  chapter  in  the  Bible  describe  those  who 
shall  be  shut  out  of  the  City  of  Godf 

3 


[1-5]      THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

First  Week,  Fifth  Day 

For  all  have  sinned,  and  fall  short  of  the  glory  of  God. — 
Rom.  3:  23. 
As  it  is  written. 

There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one; 

There  is  none  that  understandeth, 

There  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God; 

They   have   all   turned   aside,   they   are   together 

become  unprofitable; 
There  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  so  much 

as  one: 
Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre; 
With  their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit: 
The  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips: 
Whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness: 
Their  feet  are  sv^ift  to  shed  blood; 
Destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways; 
And  the  way  of  peace  have  they  not  known: 
There  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes. 

— Rom.  3:  10-18. 

"You  forgot  one  thing,  didn't  you?"  a  father  asked  his 
little  daughter  as  she  was  making  her  evening  prayer.  He 
referred  to  the  omitted  petition,  "Make  me  a  good  girl.'* 
"I  didn't  need  to  pray  that  tonight  father,"  she  said ;  "I 
have  been  such  a  good  girl  today."  We  smile  at  the  child; 
but  do  we  take  ourselves  to  task  when  we  are  as  childish? 
Are  we  ever  tempted  to  think  that  we  are  not  such  miser- 
able sinners,  after  all?  If  we  are  downright  honest  with 
ourselves,  how  easy  will  it  be  to  sum  up  the  sins  of  which 
we  are  guilty  in  the  course  of  a  single  month?  A  single 
week?  A  single  day?  Then  what  becomes  of  the  com- 
placent thought  that  we  really  deserve  some  consideration 
at  God's  hands?  What  does  God  say  about  it?  Then  can 
we  afford  to  trifle  with  sin?  We  must  confess  not  only 
some  sins,  but  all  sins.  "Lift  them  away!"  the  Psalmist 
cried  when  he  thought  of  his  sins,  using  the  picturesque 
phrase  that  reminds  us  of  Bunyan's  portrayal  of  the  Chris- 
tian pilgrim  struggling  to  the  foot  of  the  cross  with  his 
burden  of  sins.  "Lift  them  away!"  will  be  our  cry  if  we  feel 
the  burden  of  sin  as  God  wants  us  to  feel  it. 

What  reply  does  Matthew  say  Jesus  made  to  the  man 
who  called  him  Good  Master? 


IN  THE  DARK  [1-6] 

First  Week,  Sixth  Day 

For  we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual:  but  I  am  carnal, 
sold  under  sin.  For  that  which  I  do  I  know  not:  for  not 
what  I  would,  that  do  I  practise;  but  what  I  hate,  that 
I  do.  But  if  what  I  would  not,  that  I  do,  I  consent  unto 
the  law  that  it  is  good.  So  now  it  is  no  more  I  that  do 
it,  but  sin  which  dwelleth  in  me.  For  I  know  that  in  me, 
that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing:  for  to  will 
is  present  with  me,  but  to  do  that  which  is  good  is  not. 
For  the  good  which  I  would  I  do  not:  but  the  evil  which 
I  would  not,  that  I  practise.  But  if  what  I  would  not, 
that  I  do,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  which 
dwelleth  in  me. — Rom.  7:  14-20. 

A  boy  of  seven  stood  before  a  grocery  store,  attracted  by 
a  barrel  of  luscious  apples.  He  looked  longingly  on  the 
fruit.  Twice  his  hand  was  reached  out  as  if  to  take  an  apple, 
but  twice  it  was  withdrawn.  Then,  slowly,  jerkily,  the  hand 
was  stretched  toward  the  barrel  once  more.  Finally  the 
fingers  clutched  the  fruit  and  the  apple  was  lifted  in  air. 
Then,  for  a  long  moment,  the  hand  remained  suspended. 
How  he  did  want  that  apple!  Yet  he  knew  he  ought  not 
to  take  it.  At  length  the  hand  moved  toward  the  barrel — 
the  feeling  of  "ought  not"  was  getting  the  upper  hand.  Then 
the  downward  progress  was  arrested,  and  slowly,  so  slowly, 
the  apple  approached  the  boy's  pocket.  It  was  almost  there 
when  the  observer  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  for,  with  a 
decided  movement,  the  young  hero  thrust  the  temptation 
from  him,  dropped  the  apple  in  the  barrel,  then  took  to  his 
heels  and  ran  from  the  spot  as  one  might  run  from  the 
plague. 

A  hunter  has  told  of  finding  a  moose  weakened  by  hunger, 
fastened  by  his  horns  to  the  dead  body  of  another  moose, 
which  evidently  had  been  killed  as  the  two  fought.  The 
live  moose  could  not  release  himself  from  the  dead  body; 
always  it  held  him  down  and  forced  him  slowly  but  surely 
to  his  doom.  "Who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of 
death?"     Is  there  any  answer? 

First  Week,  Seventh  Day 
For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death. — Rom.  6:  23. 


[I-c]      THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

"Old  man,  will  you  let  me  tell  you  something?"  a  college 
Junior  said  to  a  friend,  as  he  put  his  arm  over  the  man's 
shoulder.  "I  know  you  have  been  wondering  why  you  are 
being  gradually  shelved  by  the  fellows.  The  fact  is,  you 
have  been  so  wrapped  up  in  yourself  that  you  seem  to  think 
of  no  one  else.  As  one  of  the  men  said  yesterday,  you  give 
the  impression  that  you  are  always  thinking  how  you  can 
turn  the  misfortunes  of  others  to  your  own  advantage, 
instead  of  hunting  for  ways  to  lighten  the  burden  of  the 
other  fellow."  At  first  the  man  who  listened  was  tempted  to 
resent  the  plain  speaking,  but  thought  convinced  him  that  the 
words  were  true.  Warned  in  time,  he  called  himself  to 
account  and  changed  his  manner  of  life.  Once  more  he 
won  his  old  place  among  his  fellows.  How  far  is  the  expe- 
rience of  this  student  a  picture  of  the  sure  result  of  sin? 
How  does  self-indulgence  separate  a  man  from  God,  who 
gives  life?  Does  that  separation  come  all  at  once,  or  is  it 
the  result  of  a  process?  What  is  the  inevitable  result  of  the 
separation? 

What  vivid  picture  is  given  in  Luke,  Chapter  i6,  of  the 
reward  of  the  man  who  persists  in  living  in  sinf 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Did  Paul  exaggerate?  Was  there  ever  a  time  when  the 
heart  of  man  was  as  black  as  it  is  painted  in  the  passage 
studied  this  week?  Those  who  are  familiar  with  condi- 
tions on  the  foreign  mission  field  can  testify  that  Paul  did 
not  exaggerate,  while  the  best  men  and  women  who  live  in 
lands  where  Christian  influences  are  pervasive  realize  that 
it  is  impossible  to  measure  the  capacity  for  evil  of  their 
own  hearts,  which  without  the  restraint  of  Jesus  Christ 
might  have  plunged  them  into  the  state  so  pitilessly  described 
by  the  apostle. 

Jacob  Chamberlain,  long  a  missionary  in  India,  tells  in 
The  Kingdom  in  India,  of  a  visit  to  a  city  in  the  land  where 
the  name  of  Jesus  had  never  been  heard.  "As  an  introduc- 
tion," he  says,  "when  we  had  assembled  an  audience  in  the 
street,  I  asked  my  native  assistant  to  read  the  first  chapter 
of  Romans,  that  chapter  which  those  who  call  themselves 
liberal-minded  tell  us  is  too  black  to  be  true;  that  chapter 
that  describes  the  heart  of  man  wandering  away  from  God, 

6 


IN  THE  DARK  [I-c] 

and  then  "wandering  away  further,  until  at  last,  'though 
they  know  the  judgments  of  God  that  they  which  do  such 
things  are  worthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have 
pleasure  in  them  that  do  them' ;  the  depth  of  which  many 
tell  us  is  a  libel  on  human  nature.  That  chapter  was  read. 
The  most  intelligent  man  in  the  audience,  a  Brahmin,  stepped 
forward  and  said  to  me,  'Sir,  that  chapter  must  have  been 
written  for  us  Hindus.  It  describes  tis  exactly.'  The  photo- 
graph was  recognized.  It  had  been  taken  centuries  before 
and  among  a  Jewish  people ;  but  the  artist  was  divine,  and 
the  heart  that  was  photographed  was  not  that  of  a  Jew,  but 
of  a  man." 

A  second  experience  was  equally  startling.  "I  v/as  reading 
from  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans  that  declaration  of 
Paul  of  the  power  of  sin  over  us,  which  says,  'When  I  would 
do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me,  and  the  good  which  I 
would  I  do  not,  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not  that  I  do.' 
As  I  read  it.  the  most  intelligent  man  in  the  audience  spoke 
up,  saying.  'That  is  it!  That  is  exactly  what  is  the  matter 
with  us  Hindus.' " 

Like  testimony  to  the  universality  of  the  feeling  came  from 
a  girl  in  America,  who  had  been  trained  in  a  Christian  home. 
She  had  brought  her  Bible  to  her  father  for  the  usual  Sun- 
day morning  chapter.  "Let  us  read  the  verses  I  have  just 
been  studying,"  he  said.  So  together  they  read  Rom.  7 : 
14-20.  As  she  finished  the  last  verse  the  little  girl's  voice 
broke,  and  she  ran  away.  The  father  sought  her.  "What  is 
it,  my  little  girl?"  he  asked,  anxiously.  "Oh,  father!"  came 
the  answer,  "I  know  I'm  bad,  but  when  you  want  to  scold 
me  won't  j^ou  please  come  right  out  and  say  so?"  Explain- 
ing that  he  had  not  thought  of  scolding  her,  he  told  her  how 
he  had  come  to  choose  the  chapter.  "I  was  thinking  how  it 
expressed  my  feelings,"  he  said,  "and  now  you  think  it 
expresses  your  feelings." 

All  can  sympathize  with  the  child,  for  all  know  the  rack- 
ing torment  of  the  never-ending  contest  between  what  one 
ought  to  do  and  what  one  wants  to  do.  regardless  of  the 
rights  of  others,  the  best  interests  of  self,  or  the  things  one 
knows  God  wants.  And  to  most  people  one  of  the  madden- 
ing features  of  this  contest  of  ought  and  ought  not  is  that 
the  things  they  are  tempted  to  do  are  not  what  are  gener- 
ally looked  on  as  the  great  sins  that  make  one  lift  up  the 

7 


[I-c]      THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

hands  in  horror,  but  so-called  little  sins,  which  so  often  are 
dismissed  with  a  contemptuous  shrug  and  a  Hght  "Everybody 
does  them !"  Thus  the  student  may  struggle  between  con- 
scientious work  and  superficial  preparation ;  the  business 
man  may  hesitate  between  a  fair  and  an  underhand  method 
in  competing  with  a  rival ;  the  professional  man  may  long 
to  use  for  his  own  advantage  confidential  information  that 
has  come  to  him  from  a  trusting  client. 

But  is  there  such  a  thing  as  a  trifling  sin?  Is  the  contest 
between  right  and  wrong  ever  without  supreme  importance? 
Each  time  ought  beats  ought  not,  the  fighter  is  stronger  for 
the  next  conflict.  But  what  is  the  inevitable  result  of  defeat? 
What  will  happen  to  the  temple  of  God,  "which  temple  ye 
are,"  if  defeat  is  repeated  until  it  becomes  utter  rout! 

Is  it  worth  while  to  fight  temptation?  Shall  we  join  the 
ranks  of  those  jelly-fish  folks  who  say  they  wish  God  had 
made  them  in  such  a  way  that  they  would  always  do  the  right 
thing,  no  matter  what  happens? 

When  God  made  man  he  planned  that  the  heart  of  man 
should  be  a  temple  for  him.  When  it  left  his  hands  that 
temple  was  clean  and  pure,  a  fit  habitation  for  God. 

Fit  and  good  at  the  beginning,  the  temple  might  have 
remained  so,  if  God  had  retained  the  keys  to  the  edifice, 
giving  man  no  voice  in  the  direction  of  his  life.  But  it  was 
God's  plan  that  man  should  be  in  his  likeness  in  everything, 
and  without  the  power  to  choose  and  act  for  himself  an 
essential  part  of  God's  likeness  would  be  entirely  lacking. 

So  he  gave  to  man  the  direction  of  his  own  life,  handed 
over  to  him  the  keys  of  the  temple,  pleading  with  him  to  keep 
himself  pure  and  undefiled.  Man  thus  became  a  moral 
creature. 

But  man  opened  the  doors  of  the  temple  entrusted  to  his 
keeping  and  permitted  the  entrance  of  defiling,  degrading 
influences.  The  hosts  of  sin  were  welcomed.  The  corridors 
of  the  temple  became  stained  with  dirt.  The  beautiful 
columns  were  scratched  and  broken.  The  carved  cornices 
and  stately  pediments,  robbed  of  their  supports,  fell  a  mass 
of  ruins.  Rubbish  accumulated  among  the  heaps  of  broken 
stones.  Ivy  fastened  in  the  crevices  made  by  decay.  And 
at  last  the  stately  temple  erected  by  God  himself  for  his 
dwelling  place  afforded  no  shelter  for  him.  The  work  which 
God  had  pronounced  very  good  had  been  made  insupportably 

8 


IN  THE  DARK  [I-c] 

bad  by  man's  own  acts,  through  the  abuse  of  God's  con- 
fidence in  him,  Man  had  proven  himself  unworthy  of  God's 
presence  within  him,  and  yet  God  did  not  leave  him  to  him- 
self. Somehow  he  had  always  kept  a  place,  though  man  had 
done  all  he  could  to  crowd  him  out.  But  the  Master  Builder 
had  remained.  Surely  he  would  have  been  justified  in  say- 
ing, "I  entrusted  to  you  the  care  of  my  temple.  You  have 
let  it  go  to  wreck  and  ruin,  until  now  it  is  unfit  for  me  to 
enter.  I  will  therefore  leave  you  to  the  dirt  and  filth  and 
pollution  which  you  have  chosen  instead  of  me." 

Vet  God  is  not  like  man,  to  turn  away  from  the  wrongdoer 
because  of  one  or  two  or  even  a  thousand  failures.  He  does 
not  take  from  us  the  keys  of  the  temple  we  have  made  unholy. 
He  desires  to  see  the  pollution  removed. 

It  is  as  though  a  cyclone  had  passed  over  a  beautiful  city, 
and  laid  it  waste.  The  citizens  stand  appalled  as  they  realize 
the  greatness  of  this  calamity,  and  the  first  feeling  is  one 
of  hopelessness.  How  can  they  restore  their  homes?  It  is 
as  though  war  had  ravaged  a  prosperous  land,  destroying 
factories  and  railroads,  making  of  gardens  a  wilderness  and 
of  fertile  farms  a  desert.  What  can  be  done  when  destruc- 
tion is  so  complete?  Our  hearts,  the  temples  of  God,  are 
defiled  and  ruined  by  our  sin,  as  cyclone  never  destroyed  a 
city,  as  the  most  disastrous  war  never  laid  waste  a  country. 

There  are  not  lacking  those  who  say  there  is  no  need  to 
bother.  "Human  nature  is  always  the  same !"  they  say.  Or, 
"That  fine  scheme  is  all  right  in  theory;  but  you  can't 
change  human  beings,  they  always  act  that  way." 

Yet  God  tells  us  the  defilement  must  be  cleansed,  the  ruins 
must  be  restored.  "Wash  you,  make  you  clean,  put  away 
the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease  to  do 
evil;  learn  to  do  well"  (Isa.  i:  i6,  17).  How  shall  the  work 
be  done?  Too  often  we  try  to  do  it  ourselves,  because  of 
the  pride  that  leads  a  man  to  say,  "I  have  brought  this  diffi- 
culty on  myself,  and  I  must  get  myself  out  of  it  as  best  I  can 
without  asking  help  from  anybody."  As  a  result  of  our 
attempts  at  restoration,  the  ruins  of  God's  temple  are  sur- 
rounded by  unlovely  constructions  of  man's  devising.  The 
work  is  a  stupendous  failure,  a  failure  that  makes  the  temple 
cry  aloud  for  the  Builder. 

What  supreme  folly  to  attempt  to  purify  one's  own  heart 
and  build  up  in  magnificence  that  temple   from  which  God 


[I-c]      THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

has  been  driven.  That  is  what  the  man  does  who  says  he 
will  not  accept  Jesus  Christ  until  he  is  fit  to  come  to  Christ ; 
who  will  not  join  the  Church  until  he  is  able  to  live  worthily 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  who  will  build  the  temple,  and  then 
God  may  have  his  dwelling  place  for  himself. 

Better  might  one  go  out  in  the  forest  and  the  fields  in  the 
dead  of  winter,  when  frost  has  bound  the  earth  in  an  iron 
clasp,  when  trees  are  leafless  and  fields  are  bare,  when  all 
looks  lifeless  and  snow  like  a  pall  covers  everything,  and 
take  upon  himself  the  task  of  driving  the  frost  from  its 
hold  on  the  soil,  of  clothing  the  trees  with  leaves  and  the 
fields  with  verdure,  than  to  stand  in  the  presence  of  God 
and  promise  him  to  present  to  him  a  heart  made  fit  by  man 
for  his  dwelling  place. 

It  is  man's  duty  to  see  that  this  work  of  renovation  is  done, 
but  he  cannot  do  it  himself.  Sven  Hedin,  on  returning  from 
an  expedition  to  the  heart  of  Asia,  told  of  finding  a  sacred 
mountain  about  which  pilgrims  were  walking  many  times 
in  a  vain  attempt  to  get  rid  of  their  sins.  "If  I  wash  myself 
with  snow  water,"  said  Job,  "and  make  my  hands  never  so 
clean;  yet  wilt  thou  plunge  me  in  the  ditch,  and  mine  own 
clothes  shall  abhor  me"  (Job  9:  30,  31).  "For  though  thou 
wash  thee  with  lye,  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine 
iniquity  is  marked  before  me,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah"  (Jer. 
2:  22). 

Death  is  the  portion  of  everyone  who  is  separated  from 
God's  light,  alienated  from  his  love,  a  stranger  to  his 
promises.  For  sin  is  separation  from  God,  and  the  wages  of 
sin  is  death;  and  persistent  sin  steadily  widens  the  chasm 
between  man  and  God.  Man  by  his  own  acts  drives  himself 
away  from  God,  but  he  discovers  to  his  sorrow  that  he  can- 
not simply  by  his  own  act  return.  The  drunkard  who  has 
sunk  into  the  depths  of  evil  as  well  as  the  ordinary  man  who 
by  long  neglect  has  lost  his  sense  of  spiritual  realities  cries 
despairingly,  "I  wish  I  were  back  where  I  was  1" 

O  God,  may  we  hate  sin  wherever  we  see  it,  whether  in 
ourselves  or  in  other  people,  but  may  we  be  charitable  in 
judging  the  sins  of  others  and  hard  as  adamant  in  judging 
our  own.  We  thank  thee  that  we  can  take  our  sins  to  the 
cross  and  not  only  lose  them  there  but  gain  strength  so 
that  we  may  not  commit  the  same  sins  again.    Make  us  like 

10 


IN  THE  DARK  [I-s] 

tkcc  in  our  readiness  to  forgive  completely  those  zc'ho  wrong 
us.  Let  there  be  no  treasured  grudge  in  the  secret  place 
of  our  hearts,  but  may  love  conquer  enmities  and  unite  us 
all  to  him  who  loved  us  and  gave  himself  for  us.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND   STUDY 

Study  these  passages  which  show  how  God  feels  about  sin : 

Gen.  6:  3-7;  18:  20;  Ex.  34:  7;  Lev.  26:  14-21;  Deut. 
25:  16;  n  Sam.  11:  27;  Psalms  5:4;  Prov.  15:  8,  9;  Hab. 
1 :  13;  Luke  16:  15. 

Study  these  passages  which  tell  of  the  consequences  of 
sin: 

Gen.  4:  13;  Deut.  28;  65-67;  Psalms  31:  10;  Psalm  38; 
Isaiah  6:  5.     Find  other  similar  passages. 

Find  in  Acts,  chapters  9  and  16,  the  stories  of  two  men 
who  confessed  their  sin.  How  earnest  were  they?  What 
other  Biblical  instances  do  you  recall? 

Trace  the  steps  in  the  downward  path  taken  by  Saul,  the 
first  king  of  Israel. 


II 


CHAPTER  II 

Into  the  Light 

DAILY  READINGS 


Second  Week,  First  Day 

For  while  we  were  yet  weak,  in  due  season  Christ  died 
for  the  ungodly.  For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will 
one  die:  for  peradventure  for  the  good  man  some  one 
would  even  dare  to  die.  But  God  commendeth  his  own  love 
toward  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died 
for  us. — Rom.  5:  6-8. 

Why  was  Paul  lost  in  wonder  as  he  thought  of  the  death 
of  Christ?  Why  does  it  seem  unbelievable  that  Christ  should 
die  for  men?  For  whom  did  Christ  die?  Did  he  die  under 
protest,  making  an  unwilling  gift  of  himself?  Christ  gladly 
gave  his  life,  not  for  the  lovable  man,  hut  for  him  who  is 
unlovely;  not  for  the  just  man,  but  for  the  unjust;  not  for 
those  who  are  on  good  terms  with  God,  hut  for  those  who 
have  turned  their  hack  on  God.  Why?  Why  have  Chris- 
tians sung  during  nineteen  hundred  years  of  the  "love  beyond 
degree"  that  gave  Jesus  to  die? 

Find  in  John,  chapter  10,  Jesus'  own  statement  of  his  rea- 
son for  his  death. 

Second  Week,  Second  Day 

But  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  that  once  were  far  off  are 
made  nigh  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  For  he  is  our  peace, 
who  made  both  one,  and  brake  down  the  middle  wall  of 
partition. — Eph.  2:  13,  14. 

And  you,  being  in  time  past  alienated  and  enemies  in 
your  mind  in  your  evil  works,  yet  now  hath  he  reconciled 
in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  present  you 
holy  and  without  blemish  and  unreprovable  before  him. 
— Col.  i:  21,  22. 

12 


INTO  THE  LIGHT  [II-3] 

In  the  Jewish  temple  the  Gentiles  were  allowed  to  go  only 
to  an  outer  court  called  the  Court  of  the  Gentiles.  A  low 
wall  separated  this  court  from  the  other  parts  of  the  temple ; 
on  the  pillars  of  this  wall  was  a  warning  which  told  that 
death  would  be  the  lot  of  any  Gentile  passing  beyond  the 
wall.  Excavations  at  Jerusalem  have  disclosed  one  of  the 
pillars  with  this  inscription  of  warning.  How  is  this  Gentile 
wall  a  parable  of  the  barriers  we  have  built  between  ourselves 
and  God?  What  was  Paul's  meaning  when  he  wrote  to  the 
Ephesians  that  Christ  has  broken  down  for  all  men  this 
middle  wall  of  partition?  What  part  has  the  set  will  of  a 
stubborn  man  in  keeping  this  wall  intact?  What  may  be  the 
result  for  us  of  the  breaking  down  of  the  wall?  To  what 
privileges  are  we  entitled  who  cross  the  broken  wall  to  the 
presence  of  Christ?  How  many  privileges  can  we  have  if 
we  do  not  let  Christ  lead  us  across  the  wall?  What  would 
you  reply  to  the  man  who  says  it  is  too  hard  to  understand 
how  to  cross  the  barrier?  Read  Christ's  answer  to  such  a 
questioner  (John  3:  5-13)  • 

Find  in  John,  chapters  3  and  4,  Jesus'  o-jun  statemeyit  as  to 
what  is  required  of  those  who  would  come  to  him. 

Second  Week,  Third  Day 

Because  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  Jesus  as 
Lord,  and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved:  for  with  the  heart 
man  believeth  unto  righteousness;  and  with  the  mouth 
confession  is  made  unto  salvation. — Rom.  10:  9,  10. 

Why  does  Paul  insist  that  confession  of  Christ  is  as  essen- 
tial as  belief  in  Christ?  The  temptation  comes  to  all  at  some 
time  to  conceal  their  allegiance,  to  Christ,  as  it  came  to  a 
Chinese  convert  in  Boxer  days  who  had  been  instrumental 
in  saving  many  of  his  comrades  before  he  was  apprehended 
by  his  enemies.  They  inquired  if  he  were  a  Christian.  He 
asked  himself  if  it  would  not  be  as  well  to  deny  the  charge; 
but  his  hesitation  was  only  momentary.  "I  am  a  Christian !" 
he  declared,  firmly,  and  immediately  he  began  to  talk  for 
Jesus.  They  cut  out  his  tongue,  but  he  still  mumbled  of  Jesus 
and  prayed  for  his  murderers.  Perhaps  no  such  test  as  that 
will  come  to  us.     But  what  is  the  best  way  to  be  ready  for 

13 


[II-4]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

the  test?  How  many  of  us  live  like  the  clerk  of  whom  a  co- 
worker said,  "I  have  been  by  his  side  for  a  year,  and  I  never 
knew  till  now  that  he  was  a  Christian"?  Are  we  ashamed 
of  the  gospel?  Why?  Is  it  because  we  are  giving  to  the 
world  such  a  poor  exhibition  of  the  gospel?  Read  Paul's 
triumphant  declaration    (Rom,   i:   i6). 

Second  Week,  Fourth  Day- 
There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  that 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  of 
death.  For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was 
weak  through  the  flesh,  God,  sending  his  own  Son  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the 
flesh:  that  the  ordinance  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us, 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit. — Rom. 
8:   1-4. 

What  are  we  to  think  of  one  who  says,  "I  couldn't  help 
doing  it,  though  I  knew  it  was  wrong"?  Who  was  master, 
and  who  was  slave?  But  does  God  intend  that  we  shall  be 
slaves?  Do  we  want  to  get  the  upper  hand  of  our  habits? 
How  are  we  to  go  about  it?  Why  can  Jesus  help  a  fellow 
to  do  the  right  thing?  A  lad  whose  mother  asked  him  what 
Jesus  would  think  of  a  bit  of  bad  conduct  of  which  he  had 
been  guilty,  said  to  her,  with  yearning  earnestness,  "Does 
Jesus  know  how  hard  it  is  for  boys?"  Read  the  answer  in 
Hebrews  2:  18.  What  would  be  the  sensible  thing  to  do 
next  time  you  feel  you  simply  must  do  something  you  know 
you  have  no  business  to  do?  Then  why  ask  Jesus  for  help 
only  once  in  a  while?  Why  not  have  him  for  a  permanent 
Helper?  That  is  what  it  means  to  be  "in  Christ  Jesus." 
When  a  man  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  is  free.  He  is  free  from 
the  throttling  grip  of  sin.  Does  that  mean  there  will  be  no 
more  sin  in  his  life?  Just  what  does  it  mean?  And  what 
will  be  the  result  as  to  his  past  sins?  What  does  it  mean  to 
be  free  from  condemnation?  Answer  the  question  asked  in 
Romans  8 :  34. 

Second  Week,  Fifth  Day 

For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  these  are 
sons  of  God.     For  ye  received  not  the  spirit  of  bondage 

14 


INTO  THE  LIGHT  [II-6] 

again  unto  fear;  but  ye  received  the  spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.  The  Spirit  himself  bear- 
eth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  children  of  God: 
and  if  children,  then  heirs;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs 
with  Christ;  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we 
may  be  also  glorified  with  him. — Rom.  8:  14-17. 

It  is  said  that  in  Japan  an  ambitious  young  man,  if  he 
desires,  can  adopt  some  great  man  as  his  father,  and  that  it 
is  the  custom  for  the  person  thus  chosen  to  care  for  the 
young  man,  at  least  till  he  comes  to  the  age  of  self-support. 
In  1896  a  student  in  Japan,  hearing  of  a  celebrated  American, 
decided  on  a  daring  action.  "I  have  chosen  you  to  be  my 
father,"  he  wrote,  in  effect,  "and  will  sail  at  once  for  the 
United  States."  Not  many  weeks  later  the  American  was 
surprised  by  a  call  from  the  foreigner,  who  announced  simply, 
"I  have  come,"  He  was  made  welcome,  and  for  five  years 
he  was  one  of  the  family.  He  was  given  the  same  educa- 
tion as  his  chosen  father's  own  son.  What  likenesses  and 
contrasts  do  you  discover  in  this  incident  to  our  adoption 
as  God's  sons? 

Which  of  the  parables  in  Luke,  chapter  15,  is  the  best 
commentary  on  the  day's  reading? 

Second  Week,  Sixth  Day 

Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that 
ye  should  obey  the  lusts  thereof:  neither  present  your 
members  unto  sin  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness;  but 
present  yourselves  unto  God,  as  alive  from  the  dead, 
and  your  members  as  instruments  of  righteousness  unto 
God.  For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you:  for  ye 
are  not  under  law,  but  under  grace. — Rom.  6:  12-14. 

For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit 
against  the  flesh;  for  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the 
other. — Gal.  5:  17. 

F.  B.  Meyer  writes :  "\Vhen  I  was  a  boy  my  favorite 
diversion  was  a  diving-bell,  which  had  seats  around  the 
rim,  and  which  at  a  given  time  was  filled  with  people  and 
lowered  into  a  tank.  We  used  to  go  down  deeper,  deeper, 
into  the  water,  but  not  a  drop  came  into  the  diving-bell, 
though  it  had  no  bottom  and  the  water  was  quite  within 
reach,  because  the  bell  was  so  full  of  air  that,  though  the 

15 


[11-;]    THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

water  lusted  against  the  air,  the  air  lusted  against  the  water, 
because  the  air  was  being  pumped  in  all  the  time  and  the 
water  could  not  do  what  otherwise  it  would  do." 

Second  Week,  Seventh  Day 

"But  thanks  be  to  God,  that  though  you  were  once  in 
thraldom  to  Sin,  you  have  now  yielded  a  hearty  obedience 
to  that  system  of  truth  in  which  you  have  been  instructed. 
You  were  set  free  from  the  tyranny  of  Sin,  and  became  the 
bond  servants  of  Righteousness — your  human  infirmity  leads 
me  to  employ  these  familiar  figures — and  just  as  you  once 
surrendered  your  faculties  into  bondage  to  Impurity  and 
ever-increasing  disregard  of  Law,  so  you  must  now  sur- 
render them  unto  bondage  to  Righteousness  ever  advancing 
towards  perfect  holiness.  For  when  you  were  the  bond- 
servants of  Sin,  you  were  under  no  sort  of  subjection  to 
Righteousness.  At  that  time,  then,  what  benefit  did  you  get 
from  conduct  which  you  now  regard  with  shame?  Why, 
such  things  finally  result  in  death.  But  now  that  you  have 
been  set  free  from  the  tyranny  of  Sin,  and  have  become  the 
bondservants  of  God,  you  have  your  reward  in  being  made 
holy  and  you  have  the  Life  of  the  ages  as  the  final  result. 
For  the  wages  paid  by  Sin  are  death;  but  God's  free  gift  is 
the  Life  of  the  Ages  bestowed  upon  us  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord."— Rom.  6:  17-23   (Weymouth). 

What  is  your  opinion  of  the  man  who  is  content  to  think 
of  a  salvation  that  involves  nothing  more  than  forgiveness 
of  sins  and  freedom  from  the  fear  of  punishment?  What 
more  should  he  want?  Which  shall  we  prefer,  to  be  free 
from  sin,  or  to  be  free  from  righteousness?  Is  there  any 
middle  ground?  Was  the  man  who  became  a  slave  in  the 
West  Indies  in  order  that  he  might  preach  the  gospel  to  other 
slaves  really  a  free  man?     Why? 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

"The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  This  is  only  half  of  the 
picture  God  presents  to  us — the  darker  half..  "But  the  gift 
of  God  is  eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  That 
is  the  other  half — the  brighter  half. 

16 


INTO  THE  LIGHT  [II-cI 

In  the  year  1854,  Murata,  a  noble  of  Japan,  stationed  in 
the  harbor  of  Nagasaki,  found  a  book,  printed  in  an  unknown 
tongue,  floating  on  the  water.  He  learned  that  it  was  an 
English  Bible.  Quietly  but  persistently  he  began  to  learn 
the  contents.  In  1866  he  sought  Guido  Verbeck,  the  mis- 
sionary, and  asked  for  baptism.  In  the  course  of  conver- 
sation with  the  missionary,  he  said :  "Sir,  I  cannot  tell  you 
my  feelings  when  for  the  first  time  I  read  the  account  of 
the  character  and  work  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  had  never  seen 
or  heard  or  imagined  such  a  person.  I  was  filled  with 
admiration,  overwhelmed  with  emotion,  and  taken  captive 
by  the  record  of  his  nature  and  life." 

But  wonderful  as  was  the  life  of  Jesus  on  earth,  that  life 
could  not  save  men  from  sin.    We  are  saved  by  his  death. 

The  words  are  few  and  the  sentences  are  brief  that  tell 
the  story  of  the  cross.  Yet  every  word  has  a  volume  behind 
it ;  each  sentence  compels  the  attention.  Artists  have  painted 
pictures,  inspired  by  these  words.  Authors  have  written 
whole  libraries  dwelling  upon  them.  Christians  have  thought 
upon  them  and  have  fallen  on  their  knees,  crying  out,  "My 
Lord  and  my  God !"  And  the  end  is  not  yet.  For  still 
authors  write,  artists  paint,  Christians  worship  as  they  read. 
Is  it  any  wonder  .-^  They  are  reading  and  thinking  of  the 
central  event  of  history. 

They  led  Jesus  to  Golgotha.  And  he  went,  though  he 
knew  it  was  to  his  death ;  he  went  because  he  knew  it  was 
to  his  death — for  this  he  had  come  into  the  world.  He  sub- 
mitted to  gibes  and  taunts  and  sneers,  he  bore  buffetings  and 
scourgings,  and  in  all  he  manifested  the  same  quiet  dignity 
that  had  astonished  those  who  looked  on  as  he  was  on 
trial  for  his  life.  "He  was  oppressed,  yet  when  he  was 
afflicted  he  opened  not  his  mouth  ;  as  a  lamb  that  is  led  to 
the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  that  before  its  shearers  is  dumb, 
so  he  opened  not  his  mouth." 

What  if  the  multitude  could  have  read  what  was  passing 
in  the  heart  and  brain  of  him  who  was  led  at  their  will? 
Thoughts,  not  of  hate  but  of  love;  not  of  vengeance  but  of 
forgiveness  ;  thoughts  called  forth  by  the  knowledge  that  this 
was  the  hour  for  which  he  had  planned,  for  which  he  had 
received  strength  in  the  Garden,  in  which  he  was  to  win 
salvation  for  men. 

Thus,    bearing   his    cross,    stumbling,    falling,    cursed,    and 

17 


ni-c]    THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

beaten,  he  was  led  to  Calvary.  On  that  hill  he  was  indeed 
numbered  with  the  transgressors,  for  he  v/as  crucified  between 
two  thieves,  "on  either  side  one,  and  Jesus  in  the  midst." 
There  the  writing  was  placed  above  him,  "This  is  Jesus  the 
King  of  the  Jews."  There  the  soldiers  parted  his  garments 
among  them,  and  gave  him  vinegar  to  drink;  there  the  spear 
was  thrust  in  his  side.  There  Christ  died,  and  man  was 
redeemed. 

But  Jesus  did  not  die  until  he  had  uttered  the  words  of 
pardon  to  the  repentant  thief,  who  thus  became  the  first 
fruits  of  Calvar}^;  and  not  until  he  had  foreshadowed  his 
occupation  for  all  the  subsequent  ages  of  the  world's  history 
by  crying  out  in  the  face  of  his  tormentors,  in  the  midst  of 
the  agony  they  had  inflicted,  "Father,  forgive  them;  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do."  So  he  died,  and  so  we  were 
redeemed;  so  the  cross,  the  symbol  of  shame,  became  the 
most  precious  symbol  in  the  world,  the  symbol  of  God's  for- 
giving love. 

And  this  is  the  measure  of  Christ's  love.  Think  that  he 
might  have  ended  his  life  on  earth  with  the  acclaim  of 
angels,  under  the  light  of  a  blazing  sky,  while  men,  hearing 
the  voice  of  the  Father  saying,  "This  Is  my  beloved  Son," 
fell  on  their  faces  for  fear.  Then  think  how  he  did  go — no 
glory  Hght,  but  darkness;  no  welcoming  chorus  of  angels, 
but  pain  and  wounds  and  a  broken  heart;  no  sudden  con- 
quest of  his  enemies,  but  taunts  and  mockery  from  those 
who  opposed  him.  For,  as  it  was  expedient  for  us  that  he 
go  away,  it  was  expedient  that  he  go  as  he  did :  a  thorn 
crown  on  his  brow,  a  spear  thrust  in  his  side,  his  hands 
fast  to  the  cross — those  hands  on  which  were  written  in  the 
blood-  of  Calvary  the  names  of  those  for  whom  he  died. 

He  died  for  us.  For  us  he  was  silent  before  Pilate.  For 
us  he  permitted  himself  to  be  delivered  to  the  mob.  Thoughts 
of  us  sustained  him  in  those  hours  of  anguish  on  the  cross, 
and  thoughts  of  us  and  longings  for  us  fill  his  heart  today 
while  he  pleads  with  every  one.  "My  son,  give  me  thy  heart." 
And  those  who  refused  to  heed  his  request  are  joining  the 
ranks  of  his  enemies. 

In  1891  the  editor  of  a  Bohemian  freethinkers'  journal 
sat  down  to  write  the  leader  for  the  Christmas  issue.  Very 
naturally  he  began  to  speak  of  the  approaching  holiday.  But 
he  could  not  write  the  blasphemous  words  to  which  he  had 

18 


INTO  THE  LIGHT  [II-c] 

been  accustomed.  "I  wrote  of  his  birth  in  poverty,  and  of 
his  hfe  of  suffering,"  he  said  afterward.  "I  spoke  of  his 
terrible  death.  But  the  central  point  of  the  article  was  the 
argument  that  those  who  are  blaspheming  Christ  now  are 
of  the  same  character  as  those  who  crucified  him — the  most 
miserable  creatures  of  earth."  Then,  turning  to  a  copy  of 
the  paper  in  which  the  article  was  published,  he  translated 
these  sentences :  "I  am  a  freethinker,  man  of  no  dogma, 
relying  upon  reason  and  heart  only.  But  from  the  depth 
of  this  heart  I  bow  before  the  Saviour  of  men  and  with  all 
the  power  of  my  reason  I  tremble  in  wonder,  and  am 
amazed  before  the  life  of  Christ.  The  mob  which  cruci- 
fied Christ  is,  to  an  extent,  excusable ;  they  did  not  know 
what  they  were  doing;  they  were  in  the  hands  of  their 
deceivers.  But  whose  instruments  are  our  freethinkers,  who 
despise  the  memory  of  the  Saviour,  and  curse  him?  .  .  . 
Hundreds  of  our  countrymen  are  infidels.  I  cannot  char- 
acterize their  infidelity,  except  as  I  say  it  is  a  base  insult 
toward  everything  that  is  sacred  to  other  people.  Such 
insult  is  blasphemy."  The  pubhcation  of  the  article  caused 
a  storm  among  the  Bohemians;  it  led  to  the  suspension  of 
the  paper;  it  was  ultimately  responsible  for  the  editor's 
expulsion  from  the  National  Sokol,  the  Bohemian  Free- 
thinkers' society;  it  alienated  his  wife  and  family.  But  it 
was  the  first  step  in  the  new  life  of  the  writer. 

And  every  man  who  will  may  have,  through  Christ,  life 
that  lasts,  life  that  is  free. 

Some  years  ago  a  railway  company  announced  as  a  Thanks- 
giving gift  to  its  employes,  a  clean  record  for  all;  every 
demerit  mark  was  to  be  removed  from  the  books  and  all 
would  be  permitted  to  start  afresh.  Now  if,  coupled  with 
the  announcement  of  the  proposed  gift,  the  statement  had 
been  made  that  every  man  who  made  personal  application 
at  the  office  should  receive  a  clean  record,  this  would  have 
been  much  like  God's  arrangement  for  us :  personal  applica- 
tion is  necessary  before  God  can  accomplish  his  purpose  of 
forgiving  our  sins.  We  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  look  to 
Christ  and  tell  him  that  we  desire  his  life,  and  it  will  be 
given  to  us.  There  is  no  deception,  no  delusion ;  there  can 
be  none.  Every  word  of  Christ's  promises  will  be  ful- 
filled to  the  letter.  Would  he  have  died,  only  to  deceive  us? 
Would  he  have  lived  those  years  on  earth,  borne  up  by  the 

19 


[II-c]    THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

thought  of  the  loving  gift  he  was  securing  for  us,  and  then 
refuse  to  give  it  to  us?  Life  for  us  was  his  reward;  and 
he  will  see  that  the  life  becomes  ours.  God  has  promised 
it.  His  word  is  passed.  And  God  has  said,  "Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away." 

Is  there  any  way  to  obtain  eternal  life  but  by  accepting 
the  gift?  Will  right  living  do  it?  Can  we  live  right  without 
Christ's  help?  Will  almsgiving  do  It?  Will  self-sacrifice 
do  it? 

Every  one  of  the  many  schemes  for  restoring  men  is 
doomed  to  failure  hut  the  scheme  that  Paul  made  known  to 
the  jailor  at  Philip  pi:  "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved." 

The  imagination  of  Hawthorne  conceived  an  immense 
bonfire,  built  som.ewhere  far  out  on  the  broad  plains  of  the 
West.  To  this  fire  flocked  men  from  all  over  the  globe, 
bringing  all  the  sin  and  error  they  could  find,  until  every- 
thing evil  seemed  to  be  burned  out  of  the  world.  And  as 
the  last  bit  of  the  load  of  sin  vanished  In  smoke,  a  demon  in 
human  form  turned  to  his  companion  and  said,  "This  Is  no 
world  for  us  any  longer.  We  must  hang  ourselves."  "Pooh !" 
was  the  answer,  "there  Is  one  thing  that  these  wiseacres  have 
forgotten  to  throw  into  the  fire,  and  without  that  all  the  rest 
of  the  conflagration  is  just  nothing  at  all!  Yes,  though  they 
had  burned  the  earth  to  a  cinder.  They  have  forgotten  the 
human  heart,  and  unless  they  hit  upon  some  method  of  purify- 
ing that  foul  cavern,  forth  from  It  will  reissue  all  the  shapes 
of  wrong  and  misery,  the  same  old  shapes  and  worse  ones, 
which  they  have  taken  such  a  vast  deal  of  trouble  to  con- 
sume to  ashes.  I  have  stood  by  the  livelong  night  and  laughed 
In  my  sleeve  at  the  whole  business." 

Yes,  the  demons  laugh  at  man's  own  attempts  to  turn  from 
sin.  But  when  man  asks  God  to  purify  his  foul  heart  in 
the  blood  which  Christ  shed  on  Calvary,  they  no  longer  laugh. 
For  the  transformation  is  sure,  and  death  will  give  place  to 
life,  life  that  begins  below  and  Increases  with  the  years, 
mellowing,  maturing,  deepening  until  time  stretches  Into 
eternity,  till  earth  fades  Into  heaven,  and  we  go  to  live  with 
God  forever. 

Master,  we  are  ashamed  as  we  think  how  slow  we  have 
been  to  appreciate  all  that  thou  hast  done  for  us,  how  care- 

20 


INTO  THE  LIGHT  [II-s] 

less  we  have  been  of  gifts  that  cost  thee  so  much  of  self- 
denial  and  suffering,  how  empty  our  lives  have  been  of  deeds 
of  loving  service.  Give  us  thy  Spirit  that  we  may  resolve 
to  make  tomorrow  a  better  day  than  this  has  been,  and  then 
to  make  each  day  still  better  than  its  predecessor.  Make  our 
hearts  thine,  entirely  thine,  and  give  us  thy  peace  that  we 
may  pass  it  on  to  others  in  thy  Name.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

What  does  the  Cross  mean  to  you? 

How  is  your  interpretation  of  the  Cross  affecting  your 
daily  Hfe? 

We  sing,  "In  the  Cross  of  Christ  I  glory!"    Why? 

If  the  story  of  the  Cross  is  good  news,  why  are  people  so 
reluctant  to  tell  it? 

Turn  to  the  account  of  one  of  Christ's  miracles  which 
shows  the  emphasis  he  put  on  the  confession  of  belief  in 
him.     Why  was  he  so  emphatic  on  this  point? 

To  how  many  people  have  you  told  the  story  this  week? 

What  is  the  most  effective  way  of  telling  it? 


21 


CHAPTER  III 

Building  on  Solid  Foundation 

DAILY  READINGS 
Third  Week,  First  Day 

For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  which 
is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ. — I  Cor.  3:  ii 

What  does  it  mean  to  build  the  life  on  Jesus  Christ  as 
foundation?  Is  it  enough  to  think  of  Jesus  as  a  good  man, 
and  then  to  try  to  do  as  he  did?  Why  is  it  more  satisfy- 
ing to  believe  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  make  this 
belief  the  starting  point  of  the  life?  Nations  have  tried  to 
get  along  without  him;  individuals  without  number  have 
attempted  to  find  a  substitute  for  him.  What  has  been  the 
result?  Consider  the  message  of  the  French  man  of  letters, 
M.  Lavredan :  "How  fearful,  hov/  burning  are  the  wounds 
of  a  people  in  whose  veins  flows  not  a  drop  of  the  blood  of 
that  Wonderful  One  as  a  healing  balsam !  ,  .  .  What 
would  become  of  France  if  her  children  did  not  believe,  if 
her  women  did  not  pray?  The  past  of  France  was  great. 
It  was  a  believing  France.  France's  present  is  tribulation. 
.  .  .  How  hard  it  is  to  be  an  atheist  in  this  natural  grave- 
yard! I  can't!  I  can't!  I  have  deceived  myself  and  you 
who  have  read  my  books  and  sing  my  songs."  How  far  is 
the  poet's  statement  a  true  representation  of  the  experience 
of  others? 

Third  Week,  Second  Day 

So  then  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  sojourners,  but 
ye  are  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  house- 
hold of  God,  being  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apos- 
tles and  prophets,   Christ  Jesus  himself  being  the  chief 

22 


BUILDING  ON  SOLID  FOUNDATION     [III-3] 

corner  stone;  in  whom  each  several  building,  fitly  framed 
together,  groweth  into  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord;  in 
whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a  habitation  of 
God  in  the  Spirit. — Eph.  2:  19-22. 

The  pride  of  Ephesus,  where  the  people  lived  to  whom 
Paul  wrote  this  letter,  was  the  great  temple  of  Diana,  whose 
foundation  was  deep  and  strong,  the  stone  for  whose  walls 
had  been  carefully  selected  and  fitted  together,  that  the  wor- 
shipers of  the  heathen  goddess  might  present  it  as  a  fit 
habitation.  This  temple  was  in  Paul's  mind  as  he  told  the 
Ephesian  Christians  that  God  wishes  a  temple  in  which  he 
may  dwell.  Christians  are  to  be  the  stones  in  that  temple, 
cunningly  fitted  together  on  a  prescribed  foundation,  for 
which  there  is  but  one  possible  corner  stone.  How  are  we 
to  learn  what  is  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
and  how  to  make  Jesus  the  corner  stone?  Theodore  Storrs 
Lee,  when  a  student  at  Andover,  learned  what  the  founda- 
tion was  for  him  by  spending,  every  morning  before  he  left 
his  room,  a  half  hour  in  Bible  study.  Next,  through  his 
morning  prayer,  he  learned  how  to  understand  and  apply 
what  he  had  learned,  through  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  the 
corner  stone  of  his  Hfe.  Then  he  went  out  among  the 
fellows  and  lived  so  well  what  he  had  learned  that  they  were 
glad  to  be  in  his  company.  Why  is  it  people  are  always  glad 
when  one  is  near  whose  life  shows  that  he  is  getting  the  best 
out  of  the  Christian  Hfe? 

Third  Week,  Third  Day 

As  therefore  ye  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk 
in  him,  rooted  and  builded  up  in  him,  and  established  in 
your  faith,  even  as  ye  were  taught,  abounding  in  thanks- 
giving.— Col.  2:  6,  7. 

Eugene  Thwing,  in  his  story,  "The  Man  from  Red-Keg," 
says :  "Go  out  into  your  own  forest  and  notice  how  straight 
and  tall  some  of  those  great  pines  grew  in  among  others  of 
their  kind,  sheltered  and  supported  and  encouraged  to  lift 
their  own  heads  high  toward  the  heavens  by  the  fact  that 
all  around  them  tall  pine  trees  were  doing  the  same  thing. 
But  just  see  what  happened  when  the  fire  came  and  licked 
up  the  carpet  of  needles  over  their  roots  and  denuded  the 

2Z 


[1II-4]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

branches,  and  then  the  tornado  struck  the  flame  stripped 
trees.  Down  they  went,  thousands  of  them,  prone  to  the 
ground.  They  could  not  withstand  the  first  good  hard  blow 
of  an  adverse  wind.  Their  roots  had  been  spread  out  in 
the  shallow  soil  close  to  the  surface;  they  had  not  struck 
into  and  taken  a  hard  grip  upon  the  hard-pan  deeper  down. 
It  was  too  easy  for  them  to  grow  into  nice,  handsome  trees. 
.  .  .  Their  hold  on  their  foundation  was  shallow  and  super- 
ficial." 

Why  is  the  man  who  is  rooted  in  Christ  and  established  in 
the  faith  able  to  meet  the  shocks  of  everyday  lifef 

Third  Week,  Fourth  Day 
Being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love. — Eph.  3:  17. 

Think  of  some  of  the  really  great  men  you  have  known. 
In  what  did  they  excel?  What  was  the  secret  of  their  great- 
ness? What  is  the  secret  of  true  greatness  in  anyone?  What 
do  you  think  of  the  reply  made  by  Dr.  MacGregor  to  the 
King  of  Siam  vv^hen  he  visited  Scotland  in  1891  ?  At  a  dinner 
the  king  sought  to  know  the  secret  of  England's  greatness. 
Pointing  to  the  guests  at  the  table,  the  Scotchman  replied: 
"You  see  here  twenty  of  Scotland's  most  distinguished  men. 
If  you  could  look  deep  into  the  heart  of  each  one  you  would 
find  there  a  great  love  for  Jesus  Christ.  You  can  keep  all 
the  good  you  can  get  from  Buddha;  but  when  you  get  the 
heart  of  Jesus  Christ  to  put  on  top  of  it  you  will  have  found 
the  secret  of  England's  greatness."  Is  the  answer  any  less 
true  for  America  and  Americans  than  it  was  for  England 
and  Englishmen? 

Third  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Continue  in  the  faith,  grounded  and  stedfast,  and  not 
moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  gospel  which  ye  heard, 
which  was  preached  in  all  creation  under  heaven;  whereof 
I  Paul  was  made  a  minister. — Col.  i :  23. 

Are  we  ever  tempted  to  give  up  the  Christian  life?  Why? 
Because  the  job  is  a  little  bigger  than  we  thought  it  would 
be?  Because  we  go  so  far  without  seeing  clear  results? 
Because  people  are  always  misrepresenting  us?     These  are 

24 


BUILDING  ON  SOLID  FOUNDATION     [III-6] 
« 

not  reasons  for  giving  up  a  good  fight ;  they  are  reasons  for 
holding  on  with  the  bulldog  grip  of  faith.  This  is  what  James 
Stewart  did  in  the  midst  of  the  perplexities  of  his  missionary- 
work  in  Africa.  "We  have  nailed  the  flag  of  Africa  to  the 
mast,  and  there  it  must  remain  till  God  himself  takes  it 
down,"  he  said.  This  is  what  Jesus  did  all  through  his  life; 
and  when  the  end  was  near  he  "steadfastly  set  his  face  to 
go  to  Jerusalem."  And  yet  we  talk  of  giving  up  because  of 
our  trifling  difficulties.  Let  us  rather  make  the  language  of 
Isaiah  our  own,  "For  the  Lord  Jehovah  will  help  me;  there- 
fore have  I  not  been  confounded ;  therefore  have  1  set  my 
face  like  a  flint,  and  I  know  that  I  shall  not  be  put  to  shame." 
What  words  in  the  latter  part  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
(Matt.  5-7)  enforce  the  lesson  of  the  day's  reading f 

Third  Week,  Sixth  Day 

I  can  do  all  things  in  him  that  strengtheneth  me. — Phil. 
4:  13. 

And  he  hath  said  unto  me,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee:  for  my  power  is  made  perfect  in  weakness. — II  Cor. 
12:  9. 

A  teacher  was  telling  a  company  of  business  men  of  the 
many  boys  who,  having  left  his  school  morally  earnest,  came 
back  after  a  few  years  with  a  sadly  different  tone,  because 
of  what  they  felt  was  the  necessity  of  keeping  step  with  the 
organization  in  which  they  found  themselves.  "The  strain 
upon  men  who  are  at  the  points  where  temptation  chiefly  falls 
is  very  great,"  the  teacher  said.  Then  he  asked  one  of  his 
hearers,  a  railway  president  noted  for  his  integrity,  "Could 
you  tell  a  body  of  students  who  are  going  into  large  cor- 
porate business,  that  success  may  be  won  with  no  loss  of 
ethical  ideals?"  After  some  hesitation  the  reply  was  given, 
*T  think  that  possible,  //  the  man  is  very  strong."  How  can 
we  be  strong? 


Third  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling; 
for  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  work, 
for  his  good  pleasure. — Phil.  2:  12,  13, 

25 


[III-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

A  village  storekeeper,  a  slave  of  strong  drink,  made  many 
vain  efforts  to  reform.  His  townsmen  thought  his  case  was 
hopeless.  Then,  all  at  once,  he  began  to  straighten  up,  to 
look  his  fellows  in  the  eye,  to  pay  his  bills,  to  be  a  man. 
Some  one  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  strange  change 
in  him  was  coincident  with  the  appearance  of  a  new  sign 
over  his  store,  "John  Jones  and  Partner."  Curious  questions 
were  asked  about  the  partner;  and  the  storekeeper  had  no 
answer  but  a  smile.  Yet,  one  day  the  man  who  had  been 
a  hard  drinker  said  to  an  intimate  friend,  "My  Partner  keeps 
me  straight."  There  were  m.any  shrewd  guesses  as  to  the 
identity  of  the  man  whom  no  one  ever  saw.  Finally  the 
storekeeper  died.  Then  the  identity  of  the  Partner  Avas 
disclosed.  Who  was  he?  Who  is  the  Partner  who  can  and 
will  enable  a  man  to  keep  straight?  What  has  been  your 
experience  when  you  have  tried  to  get  along  without  him? 

This  day's  text  tells  of  our  partnership  with  God.  What 
further  partnership  is  outlined  in  the  first  verse  of  John  15? 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

"What  have  the  builders  of  the  new  skyscraper  been  doing 
all  these  weeks?"  asked  a  man  who  had  returned  to  the  city 
after  an  absence  of  three  months.  "When  I  last  passed  this 
lot  the  ground  had  been  cleared  of  rubbish  and  everything 
was  ready  for  the  building.  On  my  return  I  expected  to 
see  the  steel  structure  completed  to  the  very  top.  And  they 
are  just  laying  the  first  beams!" 

"They  have  been  working  hard  all  the  time,"  was  the  reply. 
"You  cannot  see  the  results  of  their  work,  for  what  they 
have  done  is  out  of  sight.  The  great  concrete  pillars  on  which 
the  structure  is  to  rest  have  been  built  up  from  the  solid 
rock.  These  pillars  have  been  made  in  the  most  substantial 
manner.  Now  that  they  have  been  completed,  the  superstruc- 
ture will  be  added  rapidly,  in  full  assurance  that  it  will  stand 
for  centuries,  if  necessary." 

Paul  followed  the  example  of  Christ  in  employing  this 
figure  of  a  foundation  when  he  urged  his  friends  to  establish 
their  character  firmly.  He  taught  them  that  in  character 
building  the  foundation  comes  first  and  that,  even  if  the 
foundation  is  down  out  of  sight,  it  is  all  important  and  must 
be  of  the  most  solid  material ;   that  there  is  but  one  solid 

26 


BUILDING  ON  SOLID  FOUNDATION     [III-cJ 

# 

foundation,  and  that  attempts  to  build  on  any  other  founda- 
tion must  fail. 

The  experience  of  those  who  try  to  build  their  lives  on  any 
but  this  one  foundation  will  be  a  disappointing  one,  as  was 
the  experience  of  Chundra  Lela.  She  was  deeply  troubled 
because  of  the  sense  of  wrong  in  her  life.  Longing  to  be  rid 
of  the  burden,  she  resolved  to  go  beyond  any  of  her  country- 
men in  India  in  her  attempts  to  propitiate  the  gods.  So,  for 
three  years,  she  spent  the  days  of  the  hot  season  seated  with 
little  protection  in  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  and  with  fires 
burning  close  to  her  on  every  side.  During  the  cooler 
weather  she  spent  her  days  in  the  water  of  a  pond  up  to 
her  neck,  telling  over  her  beads  with  hands  that  grew  numb 
from  the  cold.  At  night  she  would  stand  on  one  foot  before 
the  image  of  the  god  she  desired  to  propitiate.  But  at  the 
end  of  the  three  years  she  was  not  a  bit  nearer  peace  than 
at  the  beginning.  She  wondered  what  the  difficulty  was, 
until  she  was  told  of  Jesus  Christ.  Then  she  realized  that 
she  had  started  wrong.  At  once  she  began  life  over  again, 
building  everything  on  Jesus  as  her  foundation. 

Only  those  who  build  the  life  on  Christ  have  power  to  do 
what  makes  living  worth  while.  On  the  occasion  of  the  dedi- 
cation of  a  Chinese  church  in  San  Francisco,  a  local  Chinese 
paper  said  :  "The  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ  are  shown  to  be 
right  by  his  commandments,  a  perfect  law  for  all  nations. 
These  commandments  are  as  solid  as  gold  and  as  sound  as 
jade — whether  you  are  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  of  Confucius,  of 
Buddha,  or  of  Alohammed,  whether  Greek  or  Jew;  you  can- 
not live  at  peace  without  these  commandments,  but  the  dis- 
ciple of  Jesus  alone  keeps  them." 

A  few  years  ago  when  a  company  of  commercial  agents 
from  Japan  visited  New  York  City,  the  Christian  business 
men  of  the  city  gave  a  dinner  for  them.  One  who  wrote  of 
the  event  has  told  that  the  principal  response  on  behalf  of 
the  guests  was  made  by  the  chairman  of  the  party.  Baron 
Shibusawa,  who  spoke  no  English  and  therefore  required 
the  services  of  an  interpreter.  Whether  by  intent  or  mis- 
understanding, the  interpreter  quite  failed  to  transfer  to 
the  Americans  present  the  sense  of  what  was  probably  the 
baron's  most  significant  and  emphatic  utterance.  But  a  mis- 
sionary at  the  table  caught  the  sentence,  took  it  down,  trans- 
lated  it   and   verified   his   translation   by   submitting  it   to   a 

27 


[III-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

member  of  the  Japanese  party  who  was  familiar  with  Eng- 
Hsh.  The  baron's  declaration,  as  thus  rendered  and  verified, 
was  as  follows :  "Japan  in  the  future  must  base  her  morality 
on  religion.  It  must  be  a  rehgion  that  does  not  rest  on  an 
empty  or  superstitious  faith  like  that  of  some  of  the  Budd- 
hist sects  in  our  land,  but  must  be  like  the  one  that  prevails 
in  your  own  country,  which  manifests  its  power  over  men  by 
filling  them  with  good  works." 

The  man  whose  life  is  built  on  Christ  knows  that  right 
living  is  not  an  accident,  but  that  it  is  the  result  of  definite 
determination  to  belong  to  Christ  and  constant  struggle  to 
live  according  to  that  determination.  He  will  find  that  "none 
of  us  can  live  well  by  an  occasional  good  resolution,"  as  Pro- 
fessor William  James  says.  He  will  realize  that  "everything 
depends  on  stirring  up  in  ourselves,  by  a  habit  of  well  doing, 
a  great  and  ever  increasing  fund  of  moral  power  that  shall 
be  available  to  brace  us  against  sudden  temptation,  to  help 
us  to  carry  out  better  purposes  and  hold  us  steady  and  true 
to  the  ideal."  Thus  we  will  come  ever  nearer  to  realizing 
what  has  been  called  the  ideal  of  human  life,  "in  which  all 
that  is  good  has  become  sheer  habit  and  all  that  is  bad  is 
so  contrar}^  to  nature  that  it  gives  us  even  a  physically  per- 
ceptible and  painful  shock." 

A  young  Scotch  immigrant,  who  landed  in  New  York  with 
three  cents  in  his  pocket,  had  laid  the  foundation  that  helped 
him  to  do  the  right  thing  as  a  matter  of  habit.  In  his  High- 
land home  he  had  been  taught  to  love  the  Bible,  to  honor 
God,  and  to  keep  the  Sabbath.  He  landed  on  Monday,  and 
went  to  work  the  next  day.  When  he  had  learned  to  walk 
about  the  city  he  located  the  Scotch  Church.  On  Sunday 
morning  several  young  men,  who  had  been  fellow  passengers, 
called  on  him  and  asked  him  where  he  was  going.  When 
he  told  them  of  his  plans  to  attend  church,  they  made  sport 
of  him  and  proposed  a  trip  to  Long  Island  on  the  plea  that 
health  required  the  jaunt  after  the  long  confinement  on  ship- 
board. The  Scotchman's  reply  was  to  the  point:  "You  may 
go  where  you  please,  but  I  go  to  church.  The  last  words  my 
father  spoke  to  me  as  we  parted  on  the  shores  of  Scotland 
were,  'Remember  the  Sabbath  day.'  I  have  not  so  soon  for- 
gotten." Throughout  his  long  life  he  never  forgot  his  alle- 
giance to  God.  Day  by  day  he  tried  to  do  the  things  that 
pleased  God.     He  formed  habits  of  industry,  frugality,  gen- 

28 


BUILDING  ON  SOLID  FOUNDATION     [III-c] 

erosity,  and  earnestness  that  made  him  a  marked  man  in 
the  section  of  the  city  where  he  lived,  while  his  companions 
who  made  fun  of  his  religion  were  ruined  by  the  habits  of 
evil  into  which  they  drifted. 

Only  those  who  live  on  familiar  terms  with  Jesus  Christ, 
the  one  sure  Foundation  for  the  life,  can  have  the  nature 
that  will  be  shocked  by  the  mere  suggestion  of  evil;  and  the 
sure  result  of  slipping  from  him  is  the  fading  away  of  the 
sensitiveness  to  evil  that  safeguards  the  life  from  disaster. 

In  1910  a  Philadelphia  house  wrecking  company  wished 
to  demolish  a  great  factory  chimney  more  than  two  hundred 
feet  high.  The  workmen  were  appalled  at  the  task  before 
them ;  for  a  time  they  thought  it  would  be  necessary  to  take 
down  the  stack  brick  by  brick.  Thej'^  were  relieved  when 
the  engineers  told  them  how  the  work  was  to  be  done.  First 
a  corner  stone  was  taken  from  the  chimney,  a  few  feet  from 
the  ground.  In  its  place  was  put  a  large  timber.  Then,  stone 
by  stone,  two-thirds  of  several  courses  of  the  foundation  were 
replaced  by  wood.  Still  the  structure  stood,  apparently  as 
solid  as  it  had  been  for  fifty  years.  But  it  was  not  to  stand 
long.  A  laborer  poured  oil  over  the  timber  which  had  taken 
the  place  of  the  stones.  A  lighted  match  was  held  to  the 
oil.  Soon  the  flames  were  devouring  the  wood.  Twenty  min- 
utes longer  the  chimney  stood,  then,  without  warning,  the 
pile  crumbled  and  fell. 

The  fall  of  the  chimney  is  a  picture  of  the  fall  of  some 
who  have  been  looked  upon  by  their  acquaintances  as  models 
of  integrity.  "Who  would  have  thought  that  such  an  upright 
man  could  be  wrecked !" — the  remark  is  heard  after  the 
revelation  of  a  fresh  downfall.  How  did  it  happen?  The 
careless  man  replaces  gradually  the  things  of  Christ  by  other 
things  which  cannot  sustain  the  load  upon  them.  The  result 
of  repeated  yielding  to  secret  sin  is  sure:  some  day,  when 
a  time  of  testing  comes  suddenly,  the  life  will  fall  in  ruins. 

The  world  is  always  ready  to  sneer  at  the  man  who  has 
been  destroyed  as  a  result  of  a  bad  foundation,  but  it  respects 
the  man  whose  life  is  built  surely  and  unmistakably  on  the 
life  of  Jesus  Christ.  Many  people  told  a  young  lawyer  that 
he  was  ruining  his  brilliant  prospects  when  he  became  an 
earnest  Christian.  Some  of  his  clients  deserted  him  for  a 
time.  One  of  these  was  a  saloon  keeper  who  said  he  did  not 
want  his  business  done  by  a  canting  Christian.    But  not  many 

29 


IIII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

months  passed  before  he  was  once  more  in  the  office  of  the 
lawyer.  "Some  of  these  other  fellows  will  do  when  I  have 
my  ordinary  work  on  hand,"  he  said,  in  explaining  his  pres- 
ence, "but  it  is  different  today.  Now  I  want  my  will  drawn 
up,  and  I  come  to  you  for  this;  you  are  a  Christian  man  on 
whom  I  can  depend." 

One  who  had  sat  through  many  trying  conferences  of  an 
important  committee  asked  a  friend,  "Other  things  being 
equal,  why  is  a  Christian  the  best  committeeman?"  "Let  me 
answer  by  asking  another  question,"  came  the  response : 
"Why  does  the  man  who  is  not  a  Christian  lack  an  essen- 
tial equipment  for  all  the  duties  of  life?" 

The  Christian  has  in  his  heart  the  grace  of  God,  brought 
to  him  in  the  person  and  example  of  Jesus,  that  enables  him 
to  overcome  opposition  and  destroys  prejudice,  but  the  man 
who  is  not  a  Christian  is  ignorant  of  the  principles  of  unsel- 
fish love  that  are  the  very  foundation  of  profitable  and  accept- 
able intercourse. 

In  other  words,  the  man  whose  life  is  built  on  Christ  as 
foundation  will  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  love.  That  is  a 
bold  figure,  but  it  is  the  figure  we  are  authorized  to  use.  As 
there  is  a  soil  adapted  to  the  growth  of  wheat,  as  there  is 
a  soil  fitted  for  cotton,  so  there  is  a  soil  which  favors  the 
Christian's  growth,  the  only  soil,  in  fact,  in  which  he  can 
grow.  That  soil  is  love,  rich,  deep,  boundless  love,  the  love 
of  God.  We  must  be  grounded  in  his  love  until  our  roots 
cannot  be  torn  up  by  the  mightiest  tempests  of  evil,  until 
they  are  thrust  so  deep  into  the  love  of  God  that  his  measure- 
less, endless  life  courses  through  our  veins,  making  every 
nerve  to  tingle  and  the  face  to  glow  with  a  beauty  which  is 
not  of  the  earth. 

We  thank  thee,  our  Father,  that  we  have  a  work  to  do  for 
thee,  and  that  we  are  to  do  it  in  partnership  with  thee.  Give 
us  thy  Holy  Spirit  that  we  may  have  power  in  the  world. 
Keep  us  from  complaint  because  of  the  feeling  that  thou 
hast  shut  us  up  to  service  in  some  obscure  corner,  but  show 
us  hozv  to  do  our  best  for  thee  where  thou  hast  put  us.  We 
gladly  leave  our  lives  in  thy  hands,  for  with  thee  we  are  safe, 
and  we  know  that  by  thy  grace  we  shall  be  of  use  in  hastening 
the  day  of  the  coming  of  thy  kingdom.  Through  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

30 


BUILDING  ON  SOLID  FOUNDATION     [III-s] 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND   STUDY 

How  did  Paul's  own  experience  fit  him  to  talk  of  the  neces- 
sity of  a  proper  foundation  for  the  Christian  life?  What 
was  his  experience  at  the  beginning  of  his  Christian  career? 
(Acts,  chapters  9,  22,  and  26). 

By  whom  were  the  foundations  laid  in  Timothy's  life? 
(II  Timothy,  chapters  i  and  3).  How  fully  are  parents 
responsible  for  teaching  their  children  of  God,  and  how  are 
they  to  fulfil  this  responsibility? 

What  would  you  say  to  one  who  insists  that  he  can  build 
his  life  without  Christ?  What  argument  could  you  give  him 
from  your  own  experience? 

What  verb  of  four  letters  repeated  a  number  of  times  in 
I  John,  chapter  3,  tells  of  the  solid  foundation  of  the  author's 
Christian  life? 

Find  in  II  Timothy,  chapter  i,  a  famous  saying  of  Paul  in 
which  the  same  verb  occurs.  Why  are  people  so  ready  to 
say,  "I  hope  I  am  a  Christian,"  instead  of  coming  out  with  a 
strong  message  of  certainty? 

A  young  man  was  asked  by  a  skeptical  friend  if  he  were 
certain  that  Christ  was  with  him.  "I  am  as  certain  as  I  am 
that  I  see  the  tree  yonder,"  was  the  reply.  What  does  cer- 
tainty like  that  do  for  us?    How  may  it  be  attained? 


31 


CHAPTER  IV 

Armed  for  Conquest 

DAILY  READINGS 
Fourth  Week,  First  Day 

But  ye  did  not  so  learn  Christ;  if  so  be  that  ye  heard 
him,  and  were  taught  in  him,  even  as  truth  is  in  Jesus: 
that  ye  put  away,  as  concerning  your  former  manner  of 
life,  the  old  man,  that  waxeth  corrupt  after  the  lusts  of 
deceit;  and  that  ye  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind, 
and  put  on  the  new  man,  that  after  God  hath  been  K:reated 
in  righteousness  and  holiness  of  truth. — Eph.  4:  20-24. 

But  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not  pro- 
vision for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof. — Rom.  13:  14. 

Is  it  enough  to  admit  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God?  Real 
belief  in  Christ  leads  to  the  formation  of  new  habits.  Why 
is  Paul's  demand  reasonable  that  one  who  has  learned  of 
Christ  must  change  his  way  of  living,  putting  a  full  stop  to 
many  of  the  ways  that  were  a  part  of  him  and  forming  new 
ways  in  accordance  with  the  lesson  he  has  learned  from 
Christ? 

A  missionary  has  told  of  a  young  farmer  of  whom  he  asked, 
"Have  you  heard  of  the  Jesus  religion?"  "Oh,  yes!"  was 
the  reply,  "I  have  heard  much  of  it.  Many  people  do  that 
doctrine;  it  is  very  good."  "Do  you  believe  also?"  "No, 
I  cannot  be  a  believer.  Those  Christians  spend  their  time 
and  money  doing  good  to  others.  I  must  do  for  myself.  I 
cannot  afford  to  practice  their  doctrine."  The  missionary  met 
a  woman.  He  asked  her  if  she  knew  the  Jesus  doctrine.  "Oh, 
yes;  it  is  very  good."  "Then  why  do  you  not  believe?" 
"Oh,  I  sell  liquor.  I  cannot  do  that  and  be  a  Christian," 
Have  you  ever  heard  anything  like  that  in  Christian  America? 
If  everyone  who  is  intellectually  convinced  that  the  teach- 
ings of  Jesus  are  right  should  act  on  his  belief,  how  much  of 

32 


ARMED  FOR  CONQUEST  [IV-2] 

a  change  would  there  be  in  the  world?     What  does  it  mean 
to  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 

Fourth  Week,  Second  Day 

Ye  were  running  well;  who  hindered  you  that  ye  should 
not  obey  the  truth? — Gal.  5:  7. 

Lay  hold  on  the  life  eternal. — I  Tim.  6:  12. 

Stand  fast  therefore,  and  be  not  entangled  again  in  a 
yoke  of  bondage. — Gal.  5:  i. 

Be  alert!  Centuries  ago  it  was  a  common  method  of 
defense  in  time  of  war  to  dig  ditches  before  an  advancing 
army,  and  to  mask  these  cleverly.  When  the  army  reached 
these,  the  horses  and  chariots  and  engines  of  war  would 
plunge  in  and  the  entire  army  would  be  put  to  confusion. 
Evidently  Paul  had  some  such  picture  in  mind,  for  v/hen  he 
wrote  the  question  which  has  been  translated,  "Who  did 
hinder  you,"  he  used  words  whose  literal  meaning  was,  "Who 
dug  ditches  for  you?"  "You  were  getting  on  so  well,"  he 
said  to  the  people.  "I  was  'proud  of  your  progress.  And 
suddenly  you  fell  headlong!  How  did  it  happen?"  How 
does  it  happen  today  that -the  Christian  gets  into  the  ditch? 
Or  is  "happen"  a  good  word  to  use?  What  are  some  of  the 
ditches  into  which  a  Christian  is  apt  to  fall?  How  can  one 
get  out  of  the  ditch?  Romans  14:  21  and  Matthew  18:  6 
indicate  that  there  is  something  more  to  be  on  guard  against 
than  falling  into  a  ditch  oneself.  Is  there  anything  in  our  lives 
that  is  proving  a  temptation,  a  pitfall,  to  others?  For  the 
sake  of  others  as  well  as  for  our  own  sake,  we  need  to  lay 
hold  on  Christ,  and  never  to  let  go.  Those  who  have  tight 
hold  of  Christ  will  keep  out  of  the  ditch  themselves  and  will 
help  others  to  get  out  and  keep  out. 

Into  what  ditch  did  Abraham  fall  twice f 

What   was   Jacob's    ditch f 

Into  what  ditch  did  Achan  fall?  Saul,  King  of  Israel? 
Elijah?    Peter?    Ananias?    James  and  John? 

Who  of  these  got  out  and  kept  out?    Hoiv  did  they  do  it? 

Fourth  Week,  Third  Day 

Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed 
lest  he  fall.    There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such 


IIV-4]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

as  man  can  bear:  but  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able;  but  will  with 
the  temptation  make  also  the  way  o£  escape,  that  ye  may 
be  able  to  endure  it. — I  Cor.  lo:  12,  13. 

It  doesn't  do  to  be  too  sure  of  oneself.  A  man  who  had 
succeeded  for  months  in  keeping  his  resolution  to  avoid  a 
had  habit  that  had  all  but  wrecked  his  hfe,  one  day  said  to  a 
friend,  "There  is  no  longer  fear  of  a  fall."  How  was  his 
state  of  mind  dangerous?  Why  is  a  man  more  likely  to  yield 
to  a  temptation  to  which  he  thinks  he  is  not  liable  than  to  a 
temptation  concerning  which  he  is  always  on  guard?  Paul 
puts  Christians  on  their  guard  not  simply  about  the  danger 
of  overconfidence,  but  also  about  the  folly  of  despondency 
concerning  temptation.  To  a  friend  who  had  expressed  sym- 
pathy for  him  and  who  urged  the  need  of  greater  confidence 
in  God,  a  discouraged  man  said :  *Tt  is  all  very  well  for  you 
to  speak;  your  life  has  been  a  bed  of  roses.  Just  wait  till 
3^ou  have  had  trials  and  burdens  like  mine !"  What  would  have 
been  Paul's  reply?  When  temptations  came  to  him  thick  and 
fast,  he  could  say,  with  a  confident  smile,  **I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ  who  strengtheneth  me."  Christ  could  help 
Paul,  and  he  can  help  us,  no  matter  what  our  temptations 
may  be — he  was  "in  all  points  tempted  Hke  as  we  are"  (Heb. 
4:  15).  Then  let  no  one  say,  "My  temptations  are  peculiar; 
there  is  no  escape  from  them."  Can  you  think  of  a  temptation 
too  peculiar  for  Christ's  effective  help? 

What  do  you  think  of  Peter's  attitude  as  indicated  in 
Mark  14:  29,  Luke  22:  33,  and  John  13:  37? 

What  happened  to  the  man  who  made  the  indignant  state- 
ment given  in  II  Kings  8:  13? 

What  was  the  secret  of  the  wonderful  change  in  Peter  that 
enabled  him  to  take  the  stand  described  in  Acts  4:  13-21? 

Fourth  Week,  Fourth  Day- 
Suffer  hardship  with  me,  as  a  good  soldier  of   Christ 
Jesus.     No   soldier  on  service   entangleth  himself  in  the 
affairs  of  this  life;  that  he  may  please  him  who  enrolled 
him  as  a  soldier. — II  Tim.  2:  3,  4. 

Paul  urges  most  reasonably  that  we  train  for  the  fight. 
Two  difficulties  are  raised  by  many  who  read  this  verse.    For 

34 


ARMED  FOR  CONQUEST  .  [IV-5] 

one  tiling,  they  resent  what  they  interpret  as  a  demand  that 
those  who  become  Christians  shall  cut  themselves  off  from 
ordinary  pleasures  and  occupations.  But  does  Paul  ask  this? 
There  are  some  things  that  interfere  with  service  as  a  soldier 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  we  must  get  rid  of  them.  A  young 
Scotchman  who  took  great  delight  in  studying  birds  and 
beasts  and  insects,  enlisted  in  the  army.  One  day,  while  the 
soldiers  were  marching  on  the  moor,  a  butterfly  fluttered  on 
the  face  of  the  nature  lover.  Recognizing  a  rare  specimen, 
the  man  broke  from  the  ranks  and  was  after  the  butterfly. 
Naturally  his  commander  demanded  that  thereafter  his  love 
of  butterflies  should  not  interfere  with  his  services  as  a 
soldier. 

]\Iany  people  persist  in  quoting  Paul's  words,  "Suffer  hard- 
ship with  me,"  as  a  proof  that  the  Christian  is  expected  to 
have  a  hard  time.  There  are  those  who  even  say  that  the 
Christian  must  expect  nothing  but  a  hard  time,  and  they 
therefore  go  out  of  their  way  to  find  difficulties  and  hard- 
ships that  they  may  face  these.  But  what  is  to  be  thought  of 
the  man  who  hunts  for  hardships?  The  boy  who,  when 
asked  to  define  the  word  "difficulty,"  said,  "something  to  be 
overcome,"  w^as  not  altogether  right.  A  difficulty  is  also 
something  to  be  avoided,  whenever  this  may  be  done  with 
propriety.  No  one  is  properly  equipped  for  fighting  life's 
battles  if  he  is  unskilled  in  avoiding  difficulties  when  these 
may  be  avoided  without  loss,  or  timid  in  facing  difficulties 
when  they  demand  attention. 

What  are  two  or  three  things  which,  while  entirely  proper 
in  themselves,  viight  become  a  hindrance  to  the  Christian  f 

Fourth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Do  all  things  without  murmurings  and  questionings; 
that  ye  may  become  blameless  and  harmless,  children  of 
God  without  blemish  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  per- 
verse generation,  among  whom  ye  are  seen  as  lights  in 
the  world. — Phil.  2:  14,  15. 

The  worth-while  Christian  is  all  wool  and  a  yard  wide.  An 
unknown  first  century  author  gave  this  testimony  to  the 
earnestness  of  the  early  Christians :  "They  live  in  their  own 
countries,  but  simply  as   sojourners.     They  are   in  the   flesh, 

35 


[IV-6]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

but  they  do  not  live  after  the  flesh.  They  pass  their  days 
on  earth,  but  they  are  citizens  of  heaven.  They  obey  the 
prescribed  laws,  and  at  the  same  time  surpass  the  prescribed 
laws  by  their  lives."  An  accepted  doctrine  of  the  heathen 
world  was  briefly  expressed,  "Man  is  a  wolf  to  a  man  whom 
he  does  not  know";  but  the  surprised  comment  of  some  of 
the  heathen  who  looked  on  the  early  Christians  was,  "Behold 
how  they  love  one  another ;  they  love  each  other  without 
knowing  each  other."  They  believed  that  God  reveals  himself 
to  his  people  for  two  reasons :  that  they  may  know  him,  and 
that  they  may  reveal  him  to  others.  And  they  acted  as  if 
they  really  believed  that  people  would  form  their  ideas  of 
God  from  what  they,  God's  followers,  did.  Do  you  see  in 
this  fact  any  explanation  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  Church 
in  early  days?  How  does  the  inconsistent  life  of  Christians 
affect   the   world   today? 

Fourth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

So  then  let  us  not  sleep,  as  do  the  rest,  but  let  us  watch 
and  be  sober.  For  they  that  sleep  sleep  in  the  night;  and 
they  that  are  drunken  are  drunken  in  the  night.  But  let 
us,  since  we  are  of  the  day,  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breast- 
plate of  faith  and  love;  and  for  a  helmet,  the  hope  of 
salvation.  For  God  appointed  us  not  unto  wrath,  but 
unto  the  obtaining  of  salvation  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.— I  Thess.  5:  6-9. 

Paul  knew  the  Christian's  need  of  a  high  standard.  An 
apprentice  in  a  printing  office  worked  listlessly.  In  vain  the 
foreman  tried  to  rouse  him  by  warning  him  of  the  conse- 
quences of  failure.  But,  later  on,  the  foreman  realized  that 
it  was  no  longer  necessary  to  drive  the  boy.  He  was  driving 
himself.  The  editor  had  given  him  a  watch.  The  first  day  he 
owned  it  he  timed  his  work.  Finding  that  he  could  set  a 
stickful  in  twelve  minutes,  he  made  this  a  standard.  Every 
twelve  minutes  the  stick  must  be  filled,  or  he  would  have  to 
account  to  himself.  It  was  not  long  before  the  boy  became 
the  speediest  compositor  in  the  oflice.  How  does  the  expe- 
rience of  the  apprentice  illustrate  God's  method  of  dealing 
with  the  Christian?  The  wrath  of  the  foreman  was  powerless 
to  waken  him  up.  What  was  responsible  for  his  progress? 
What  spur  to  action  does  a  loving  God  provide  for  us? 

36 


ARMED  FOR  CONQUEST  [IV-7] 

How  do  faith  and  hol>e  protect  the  Christian  and  make 
him  ready  for  the  hard  fight  with  the  things  he  has  no  business 
to  like? 


Fourth  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Finally,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  strength  of 
his  might.  Put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye  may 
be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.  For  our 
wrestling  is  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  the 
principalities,  against  the  powers,  against  the  world-rulers 
of  this  darkness,  against  the  spiritual  hosts  of  wickedness 
in  the  heavenly  places.  Wherefore  take  up  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the 
evil  day,  and,  having  done  all,  to  stand.  Stand  therefore, 
having  girded  your  loins  with  truth,  and  having  put  on 
the  breastplate  of  righteousness,  and  having  shod  your 
feet  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace;  withal 
taking  up  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able 
to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  evil  one.  And  take 
the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 
is  the  word  of  God:  with  all  prayer  and  supplication 
praying  at  all  seasons  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching  there- 
unto in  all  perseverance  and  supplication  for  all  the  saints, 
and  on  my  behalf,  that  utterance  may  be  given  unto  m.e 
in  opening  my  mouth,  to  make  known  with  boldness  the 
mystery  of  the  gospel,  for  which  I  am  an  ambassador  in 
chains;  that  in  it  I  may  speak  boldly,  as  I  ought  to  speak. 
— Eph.  6:  10-20. 

In  Paul's  plea  for  Christian  preparedness  four  things  are 
vividly  presented.  There  is  the  appeal  to  be  strong;  there  is 
repeated  urging  to  stand  against  evil ;  there  is  the  assurance 
that  all-sufificient  armor  for  every  possible  contingency  is 
provided  ;  and  there  is  the  clarion  call  to  appreciate  the  fact 
that  the  impending  struggle  is  fraught  with  momentous  con- 
sequences, for  "our  foe  strives  to  take  heaven  from  us,"  to 
use  the  words  of  an  early  Christian  leader. 

Why  is  strength  demanded?  Why  is  so  great  emphasis 
laid  on  the  necessity  of  standing  one's  ground?  Note  other 
parts  of  the  defensive  armor :  a  man  needs  to  know  for  cer- 
tain that  he  belongs  to  Christ,  and  he  must  believe  in  Christ 
with  all  his  might.  Then  nothing  more  is  needed  but  weapons 
of    offense ;    and   two    are    provided — the    Bible    and    prayer. 

37 


[IV-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

Why  Is  the  Bible  called  the  sword  of  the  Spirit?  (See  Heb. 
4:  12).  How  does  Bible  study  help  the  Christian  for  offense 
as  well  as  for  defense?  What  is  the  offensive  value  of 
prayer?  How  could  a  man  who  for  years  was  unable  to  stir 
hand  or  foot,  become  his  pastor's  right  hand  man  simply  by 


COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

No  bigger  mistake  was  ever  made  than  is  made  by  those 
who  declare  that  the  earnest  Christian  must  give  up  every- 
thing that  makes  life  worth  while.  The  Master  asks  his 
people  to  give  up  only  those  things  that  interfere  with  their 
service  of  him;  that  is,  the  things  that  interfere  with  having 
the  best  time  a  man  can  possibly  have.  The  thing  that  inter- 
feres may  be  money,  or  love  of  pleasure,  or  desire  for 
applause.  Whatever  it  is  it  must  be  offered  to  Christ.  Instead 
of  taking  it  away,  he  may  choose  to  permit  its  retention, 
that  it  may  be  used  then  for  him. 

It  is  so  easy  to  hold  on  to  things  one  does  not  want  to  give 
up ;  it  is  alv\7ays  possible  to  find  a  good  excuse  for  holding  on. 
The  business  man  is  tempted  to  adopt  questionable  methods 
in  trade  because  he  fears  that  otherwise  he  will  be  unable  to 
hold  his  own  with  unscrupulous  competitors.  The  official, 
having  his  eyes  on  reelection,  is  tempted  to  determine  each 
act,  not  according  to  what  is  right  but  according  to  what  he 
thinks  will  be  the  effect  on  the  future  he  wants  for  himself. 

Unless  Christ  is  given  complete  control  of  the  life,  no  one 
can  be  sure  of  being  big  enough  to  withstand  the  temptation 
to  use  power  for  selfish  ends.  A  man  thinks  he  will  be,  per- 
haps, in  the  days  of  looking  forward  to  the  power ;  but  he 
puts  off  getting  in  training  for  the  day  of  responsibility,  per- 
mitting shady  transactions  in  the  day  of  small  things.  "Time 
enough  to  pull  up  when  pulling  up  is  worth  while,"  he  thinks. 
But  he  finds  at  length  that  pulling  up  is  not  so  easy.  It  is 
much  easier  to  drift,  and  he  keeps  on  drifting.  The  thing 
that  seemed  so  safe  becomes  his  undoing.  He  is  like  the 
New  Bedford  ship  captains  who  had  been  lured  by  whales 
into  dangerous  quarters  in  the  Arctic  ice  pack.  The  Eskimos 
flocked  to  the  ships  and  told  the  captains  they  had  a  last 
chance  to  escape.  The  captains  laughed,  and  continued  to 
catch  whales.    But  in  four  days  the  ice  closed  in,  and  it  was 

38 


ARMED  FOR  CONQUEST  ElV-c] 

necessary  to  abandon  the  ships  and  make  a  perilous  journey 
over  the  ice  before  a  point  of  safety  could  be  reached, 

A  young  Christian  was  so  eager  to  have  a  little  more 
money  than  he  could  get  by  ordinary  methods,  that  he  used 
his  Sundays  to  oversee  the  building  of  cottages  on  two  lots 
he  had  bought  in  an  addition  to  the  town.  Because  he  was 
out  of  town  during  the  entire  week,  he  felt  he  should  be 
excused  for  absence  from  church,  just  for  a  little  while; 
when  he  had  the  fifteen  per  cent,  on  his  investment  which 
the  cottages  would  bring  to  him,  he  thought  it  would  be  easy 
to  settle  down  to  active,  earnest  Christian  service.  But  he 
did  not  settle  down.  The  worship  of  the  dollar  made  him 
forget  the  worship  of  God. 

That  man  was  right  w^ho  said :  "All  the  good  things  that 
you  can  put  a  man  into  won't  make  any  better  man  of  him, 
if,  when  he  didn't  have  'em,  he  wasn't  trying  to  make  a  better 
man  of  himself." 

The  first  thing  for  a  Christian  to  do  when  he  realizes  that 
he  is  permitting  something  to  drag  him  away  from  God  is  to 
ask  God's  forgiveness  and  his  help  to  enable  him  to  stand 
firm.  Do  we  hesitate  to  make  this  prayer?  Do  we  feel  that 
we  have  made  the  prayer  so  often  that  God  may  grow  weary 
of  hearing  it?  Then  we  need  to  take  to  heart  the  assurance 
that  "we  have  boldness  and  access  in  confidence  through  our 
faith"  in   Christ    (Eph.  3:    12). 

God  will  stand  by  those  who  show  a  desire  to  stand  with 
him,  who  are  willing  to  let  him  decide  what  they  are  to  have 
and  l:ow  they  are  to  use  it. 

But  the  Christian  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that,'while 
he  is  to  be  on  guard  lest  he  slip  away  from  God,  he  is  to 
stand  fast  not  only  for  his  own  sake  but  for  the  sake  of  others. 
Why  has  God  revealed  himself  to  us,  giving  us  his  light, 
enabling  us  to  understand  his  truth?  Is  it  simply  that  we 
may  be  well  content  with  ourselves,  gloating  over  the  light 
as  a  miser  gloats  over  his  gold? 

When  a  famous  Scotchman  was  a  boy  he  originated  the 
game  of  lantern  bearers.  Every  September  the  boys  who 
knew  the  secret  would  sally  forth  at  night,  each  with  a  lighted 
lantern  fastened  under  his  coat.  No  ray  of  light  was  allowed 
to  escape.  "To  be  a  boy  with  a  bull's  eye  under  his  coat  was 
enough  for  us."  the  one  who  devised  the  game  explained. 
When   one   lantern   bearer   met   another  greetings   were   ex- 

39 


[IV-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

changed:  "Have  you  got  your  lantern?"  was  asked.  If  the 
answer  was  "Yes,"  well  and  good.  The  boys  would  strut 
about  in  darkness,  conscious  of  the  hidden  light. 

What  a  difiference  it  would  make  in  the  world  if  only  every 
under-the-bushel  Christian  were  a  real,  downright,  outright, 
upright  Christian !  And  what  a  difference  it  would  make  to 
the  Christian  himself !  For  if  the  Christian  does  not  give 
light  to  the  world,  the  world  will  give  darkness  to  him. 

Christ  does  not  ask  the  Christian  to  take  himself  out  of 
touch  with  the  world,  but  he  does  ask  that  his  touch  with 
the  world  shall  always  be  a  hearty,  helpful,  loving  touch. 
There  is  good  reason  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  one  who,  pro- 
fessing to  be  a  Christian,  is  not  eager  to  share  his  religion 
with  others.  "The  Bible  knows  nothing  of  soHtary  rehgion," 
a  friend  said  to  John  Wesley.  "You  cannot  serve  God  alone ; 
you  must,  therefore,  find  companions  or  make  them." 

The  opportunities  to  make  companions  continually  present 
themselves,  if  we  would  only  keep  looking  for  them.  But 
we  don't.  An  earnest  Christian  once  told  how  he  lost  a 
chance  to  reach  a  man  who  was  hungering  for  the  word  he 
might  have  spoken.  A  woman  came  to  his  office  and  told  him 
that  her  husband  had  gone  to  him  that  morning  hoping  he 
would  talk  about  religion.  "Did  he  come  ?"  she  asked.  "Yes," 
was  the  reply.  "Well,  what  did  he  say?"  "Why,  he  just 
talked  about  the  price  of  brass."  "But  that  was  just  an  excuse 
for  coming,"  the  visitor  explained.  "What  did  you  say  to 
him?"  "I  am  sorry  to  say  that  all  I  talked  about  was  just 
brass,  too,"  was  the  reply. 

The  world  suffers  so  much  from  those  who  are  lukewarm, 
half  hearted,  or  even  indifferent,  that  there  is  always  a  wel- 
come for  the  worker  who  is  ''all  there,"  to  use  a  phrase  that 
is  expressive  even  if  it  has  not  yet  become  good  English.  It 
was  said  of  a  young  railroad  man  who  reached  a  high  place 
in  his  chosen  work  that  one  reason  for  his  progress  was  this : 
"Whatever  has  B  at  all,  has  the  whole  of  him."  Thus  he 
put  himself  in  line  with  the  teaching,  "Whatsoever  thy  hand 
findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might."  The  only  kind  of  Chris- 
tian he  would  have  approved  is  the  Christian  who  shows  his 
appreciation  of  and  consent  to  the  precept,  "Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thj'-  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength."  Whole 
hearted  service  wins,  everywhere  and  always,  but  those  who 

40 


ARMED  FOR  CONQUEST  [IV-c] 

are  in  the  habit  of  making  venture  with  the  feehng,  "I  don't 
need  to  put  too  much  energy  into  this,"  deserve  to  fail. 

God  asks  Christians  to  put  all  their  energy  into  his  service, 
and  he  provides  a  way  for  them  to  do  this.  He  arms  them 
completely,  so  that  they  can  be  "all  there"  when  they  do 
their  daily  tasks,  when  they  take  their  recreation,  when  they 
try  to  win  others  to  him. 

Every  part  of  the  armor  he  has  provided  is  important, 
but  there  is  one  portion  that  is  especially  important — "the 
Sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word  of  God."  Those 
who  know  how  to  use  this  weapon  have  all  the  rest  of  the 
armor,  for  defense  as  well  as  offense. 

Yet  so  often  the  Christian  is  tempted  to  lay  aside  the  Bible 
and  to  substitute  some  book  of  devotion  based  on  the  Bible. 
Then  it  is  but  a  step  to  reading  moral  essays  written  from  the 
point  of  view  of  men  of  the  world,  and  then  it  is  but  one 
more  step  to  purely  secular  reading. 

A  thoughtful  author  has  written  of  a  man  who  enjoyed 
long  walks.  At  first  he  was  accustomed  to  take  his  lunch 
with  him,  but  he  felt  that  to  carry  lunch  was  a  useless 
burden.  So  he  substituted  for  the  wholesome  food  a  little 
Indian  pellet  which  made  him  feel  strong  and  vigorous,  lifted 
him  into  a  seventh  heaven  of  delight  and  gave  him  visions 
which  ordinary  men -could  not  see.  After  the  effects  of  the 
drug  had  worn  off,  the  reaction  came,  and  he  felt  the  lack 
of  true  food.  At  length  he  died  miserably.  He  had  been 
seeking  relief  and  pleasure,  but  he  had  not  sought  them  in 
the  right  way. 

'The  Christian  who  neglects  Bible  reading,  substituting  for 
it  some  other  food,  starves  his  soul  and  endangers  his  use- 
fulness. 

Learn  a  lesson  from  a  convert  from  heathenism,  a  patient 
in  a  hospital  in  China.  A  missionary,  seeing  her  well  worn 
Bible,  asked,  "Do  you  read  your  Bible  much?"  "I  read  it 
constantly,"  she  said.  "I  never  wish  for  'the  last  dish'  when 
I  am  reading  it."  The  missionary,  in  telling  the  incident, 
explained  that  "the  last  dish"  announces  the  close  of  a  Chinese 
feast. 

Those  who  study  the  Bible  with  eagerness  and  constancy 
will  not  come  away  disappointed.  They  will  know  what  it 
is  to  lift  the  hanging  hands,  clasp  the  nerveless  fingers,  and 
grip  eternal  life  with  the  purpose  of  holding  it  fast.     For 

41 


[IV-s]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

them  the  search  for  eternal  life  will  become  the  chief  business 
of  life.  The  things  that  interfere,  whether  in  business,  in 
home  life,  or  in  social  life,  will  be  brought  under  Christ's 
control,  so  that  it  will  seem  natural  to  look  not  only  upon 
church  attendance  and  church  work  as  service  of  Christ, 
but  upon  all  the  actions  of  hfe  as  sacred  through  his  blessing 
and  guidance. 

The  Hne  that  has  been  drawn  between  things  secular  and 
things  sacred  must  be  erased.  God  must  be  carried  into 
business  and  travel  and  social  pleasure.  Thus  every  action 
of  life  will  take  on  new  meaning,  and  joy  will  be  at  the  full, 
for  the  way  to  victory  will  be  plain. 

Teach  us,  O  God,  the  joy  of  turning  from  sin  unto  thee, 
and  of  presenting  the  Christian  life  in  such  an  attractive 
light  that  others  zvill  desire  to  yield  themselves  to  thee.  Teach 
us  that  the  blessings  thou  dost  give  us  are  not  for  our- 
selves only,  but  for  others  as  well;  and  not  only  for  those 
with  whom  we  are  in  heartiest  sympathy  but  for  those  with 
whom  we  have  felt  we  have  little  in  common.  By  the  com- 
ing of  the  Spirit  into  the  hearts  of  all  of  us,  may  we  become 
one  great  brotherhood,  forgetting  enmities  and  differences 
and  jealousies,  through  Jesus  Christ.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

What  are  some  common  ways  of  hiding  one's  light? 

What  did  Jesus  mean  when  he  said,  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth?"    How  is  the  faithful  Christian  like  salt? 

What  effect  does  it  have  on  a  Christian  to  point  another  to 
Christ?  What  is  the  effect  on  the  character  of  the  Christian 
who  never  thinks  of  anybody's  salvation  but  his  own? 

What  promises  has  God  made  to  those  who  study  his 
Word?  How  were  men  of  whom  the  Bible  tells  helped  by 
reading  the  Bible  which  they  had?  (Use  your  Concordance). 
How  have  people  you  know  been  helped  by  the  Bible  ?  What 
help  has  it  given  you? 


42 


CHAPTER  V 

The  Worthy  Walk 

DAILY  READINGS 
Fifth  Week,  First  Day 

To  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing. — CoL 
i:  10. 

What  would  an  employer  say  to  a  workman  whose  heart 
is  no  more  than  half  in  his  work?  What  is  your  honest 
opinion  of  a  Christian  who  is  not  willing  to  give  whole-hearted 
service  to  God?  Paul  had  no  sympathy  for  such  a  Christian. 
He  taught  the  necessity  of  absolute  surrender  in  order  that 
God's  best  gifts  may  be  received.  Note  his  use  of  the 
word  "all"  in  the  passage  from  which  today's  reading  is 
taken :  he  prayed  that  the  Colossians  might  have  all  spir- 
itual wisdom  (v.  9)  ;  that  they  might  walk  worthily  of  the 
Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  (v.  10)  ;  that  they  might  be  strength- 
ened with  all  power,  (v.  11)  ;  that  they  might  attain  to  all 
patience  (v.  11).  God's  glory  is  revealed  to  those  who  are 
dissatisfied  with  anything  short  of  such  complete  surrender 
to  him. 

Fifth  Week,  Second  Da}^ 

For  ye  were  once  darkness,  but  are  now  light  in  the 
Lord:  walk  as  children  of  light  (for  the  fruit  of  the  light 
is  in  all  goodness  and  righteousness  and  truth),  proving 
what  is  well-pleasing  unto  the  Lord;  and  have  no  fellow- 
ship with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  rather 
even  reprove  them;  for  the  things  which  are  done  by  them 
in  secret  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of.  But  all  things 
when  they  are  reproved  are  made  manifest  by  the  light: 
for  everything  that  is  made  manifest  is  light.  Wherefore 
he  saith,  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the 
dead,  and  Christ  shall  shine  upon  thee. 

A3 


[V-3]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

Look  therefore  carefully  how  ye  walk,  not  as  unwise, 
but  as  wise;  redeeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are 
evil.  Wherefore  be  ye  not  foolish,  but  understand  what 
the  will  of  the  Lord  is. — Eph.  5:  8-17. 

A  missionary  in  Japan  has  told  of  a  young  man  who  pre- 
sented himself  for  church  membership,  to  the  surprise  of  all 
who  knew  him.  The  most  surprised  of  all  was  the  mission- 
ary to  whom  he  applied  for  baptism.  He  was  asked  how  he 
had  been  led  to  become  a  Christian.  He  replied  that  the 
reading  of  the  life  of  Chinese  Gordon  had  impressed  him 
deeply.  He  wondered  if  the  gospel  could  really  transform  a 
man,  as  the  biography  said  the  Christian  soldier  was  trans- 
formed. Some  time  later  he  met  a  Christian  family  during 
their  vacation  stay  at  the  seashore.  "He  coupled  what  he 
had  read  of  Christ's  life,  reproduced  in  the  life  of  General 
Gordon,  with  what  he  saw  of  Christ's  influence  in  the  life 
of  the  missionary  and  his  family,  and  he  concluded  that 
Jesus,  to  have  exerted  such  a  power,  must  have  been  more 
than  a  man,  and  that  the  Gospels  were  at  least  worthy  of 
imitation." 

What  impression  do  we  make  on  strangers  when  we  are 
away  from  home? 

Does  the  feeling  that  we  are  not  on  dress  parade  ever  get 
possession  of  us  and  make  us  careless f 

Fifth  Week,  Third  Day 

But  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  longsuf- 
fering,  kindness,  goodness,  faithfulness,  meekness,  self- 
control;  against  such  there  is  no  law.  And  they  that  are 
of  Christ  Jesus  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  passions 
and  the  lusts  thereof. 

If  we  live  by  the  Spirit,  by  the  Spirit  let  us  also  walk. 
Let  us  not  become  vainglorious,  provoking  one  another, 
envying  one  another. — Gal.  5:  22-26. 

A  young  man  was  accused  of  questionable  conduct.  Those 
who  knew  him  well,  said,  "The  charge  is  absolutely  without 
foundation.  His  name  and  the  action  spoken  of  cannot  be 
connected."  Events  proved  that  they  were  right.  Similarly 
the  story  is  told  in  the  biography  of  Dr.  Alexander  Maclaren 
that  one  who  had  met  him  only   once   mistook   for   him   a 

44 


THE  WORTHY  WALK  [V-4I 

stranger  who  bore  a  marked  resemblance  to  him.  For  some 
reason  the  stranger  accepted  the  identification,  and  walked 
down  the  street  with  the  man  who  had  accosted  him.  They 
passed  a  saloon.  The  stranger  said,  "Let's  go  in  and  have  a 
drink."  Then  the  error  was  evident.  When  one  hears  of 
incidents  like  these,  the  questions  come  unbidden :  Would 
a  mistake  have  been  revealed  as  conclusively  if  the  stranger 
had  been  impersonating  one  of  us?  What  would  be  the  judg- 
ment of  our  acquaintances  if  evil  should  be  spoken  of  us? 
What  is  our  safeguard? 

Fifth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

Be  not  unequally  yoked  v^rith  unbelievers:  for  what  fel- 
lov/ship  have  righteousness  and  iniquity?  or  what  com- 
munion hath  light  with  darkness?  And  what  concord 
hath  Christ  with  Belial?  or  what  portion  hath  a  believer 
with  an  unbeliever?  And  what  agreement  hath  a  temple 
of  God  with  idols?  for  we  are  a  temple  of  the  living  God; 
even  as  God  said,  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them; 
and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people. 
Wherefore 

Come  ye  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate, 
saith  the  Lord, 

And  touch  no  unclean  thing; 

And  I  will  receive  you. 

And  will  be  to  you  a  Father, 

And  ye  shall  be  to  me  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the 
Lord  Almighty. — II  Cor.  6:  14-18. 

Translate  into  everyday  language  the  questions  asked  by 
Paul.  Does  he  mean  that  a  man  is  to  hold  himself  aloof 
from  other  people  with  an  "I  am  holier  than  thou !"  expres- 
sion on  his  face?  Read  in  Luke  18:  9-14  Jesus'  opinion  of 
a  man  who  takes  that  attitude  to  others.  Then  how  are  we 
to  solve  the  problem  of  mingling  with  those  who  are  just  a 
little  careless  about  trying  to  do  what  is  right?  Is  it  enough 
that  we  shall  be  unharmed  by  coming  in  touch  with  what  is 
evil?  How  about  our  responsibility  to  help  those  we  touch? 
A  hard  drinker  confessed  that  he  had  led  twenty  of  his  boy- 
hood companions  into  the  saloon,  and  that  eleven  of  the 
twenty  became  criminals  or  suicides.  Put  that  record  by  the 
side  of  the  words  written  of  George  Williams,  the  founder 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  who,  at  nineteen 

45 


years  of  age,  entered  a  city  store  as  a  clerk:  "When  he  went 
there  It  was  almost  impossible  for  a  young  man  in  the  house 
to  be  a  Christian;  three  years  afterwards  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  be  anything  else." 

Fifth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Only  let  your  manner  of  life  be  worthy  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ:  that  .  .  .1  may  hear  of  your  state,  that 
ye  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  soul  striving  for  the 
faith  of  the  gospel. — Phil,  i:  27. 

A  student  in  college  was  not  doing  well.  He  made  a 
rather  poor  showing  in  an  examination,  A  few  days  later 
a  professor  called  him  aside  and  said :  "What  did  you  mean 
by  putting  in  such  a  paper?  It  was  passably  good,  of  course, 
but  it  was  not  what  it  should  have  been.  It  was  not  worthy 
of  you."  What  did  the  professor  mean?  What  should  a 
student  do  to  walk  worthily?  A  business  man?  A  profes- 
sional man?  What,  then,  is  meant  by  the  appeal  to  the 
Christian  to  walk  worthily?  Of  whom  is  the  Christian  to 
walk  worthily?  What  has  our  walking  worthily  to  do  with 
the  gospel  of  Christ?  A  missionary  has  told  of  a  Chinese 
official  who  felt  obliged  to  make  request  through  the  foreign 
consul  for  the  recall  of  a  certain  missionary,  because  he  did 
not  know  how  to  control  his  temper.  Was  this  missionary 
responsible  for  his  failure  to  commend  the  gospel  to  the 
official?  Once  In  a  Boston  morning  paper  this  editorial  note 
was  printed :  "The  day  was  dark  and  gloomy,  but  Phillips 
Brooks  walked  down  through  Newspaper  Row  and  all  was 
bright."  One  good  look  at  a  man  like  that  is  enough  to  make 
one  think  twice  before  declaring  that  Christianity  is  a  failure. 

Fifth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

But  I  hold  not  my  life  of  any  account  as  dear  unto 
myself,  so  that  I  may  accomplish  my  course,  and  the 
ministry  which  I  received  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify 
the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. — Acts  20:  24. 

What  is  the  best  thing  in  life?  What  are  men  most  eager 
for?  Is  it  power?  money?  fame?  happiness?  What  was 
Paul's  ambition?  What  do  you  think  of  his  method  of  find- 
ing satisfaction  in  Hfe?     Scores  of  busy  men  in  New  York, 

46 


THE  WORTHY  WALK  [V-7I 

deciding  that  they  might  as  well  give  up  trying  to  be  happy 
while  looking  out  for  themselves  only,  began  to  look  out 
also  for  poor  boys  who  needed  friends  to  help  them  to  keep 
out  of  mischief.  Each  one  of  these  men  has  agreed  to  look 
out  for  one  boy  who  needs  a  friend,  to  be  his  chum  and  his 
helper,  his  Big  Brother.  Every  one  of  them  who  has  kept 
this  agreement  faithfully  says  there  is  nothing  like  the  new 
plan  to  make  life  seem  worth  while.  And  the  greatest  joy 
has  come  to  those  who,  by  their  word  and  by  their  life,  have 
been  able  to  persuade  their  Little  Brothers  to  keep  step  with 
them  as  they  try  to  walk  in  the  way  that  pleases  Christ. 

Why  is  a  man  who  is  unselfish  attractive  to  others? 

Why  does  he  get  more  out  of  life  than  his  fellow  who  is 
always  keeping  his  eyes  open  for  "the  main  chance"? 

Fifth  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye 
do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God. — I  Cor.  10:  31. 

It  is  important  that  a  man  shall  make  a  living.  But  what  is 
more  important?  Do  you  agree  with  one  who  said  that  a 
young  man,  in  choosing  his  vocation,  should  plan  to  make  the 
world  better  by  the  efforts  that  provide  his  living?  It  was 
a  turning  point  in  the  career  of  Matthias  W.  Baldwin,  a 
Philadelphia  manufacturer  of  the  last  century,  when  he  real- 
ized that,  while  he  had  been  making  a  living,  he  had  not 
been  making  the  most  of  life.  "One  night  I  sat  down  to 
think  my  life  over,  and  what  account  I  should  give  in  the 
judgment  for  all  my  labors,"  he  wrote  in  his  reminiscences. 
"I  made  up  my  mind  I  could  not  bear  to  say  I  had  spent  my 
time  in  making  gewgaws !"  Then  he  turned  from  his  work  as 
a  manufacturing  jeweler,  and  set  his  feet  in  the  path  that 
led  him  to  become  in  a  few  years  the  great  locomotive  builder. 
The  conscientious  asking  and  answering  of  that  young  man's 
question  would  prove  a  turning  point  in  the  lives  of  thousands 
in  this  twentieth  century. 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

There  is  no  more  characteristic  phrase  in  the  writings  of 
Paul  than  that  of   Colossians   i:   10:   "To  walk  worthily  of 

47 


tV-c]    THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing."  The  earnestness  of  his  own  soul 
and  his  conception  of  the  seriousness  of  the  Christian  life 
are  revealed  by  the  words. 

That  word  walk  is  picturesque.  The  Christian  is  to  be 
active.  He  Is  to  keep  moving.  He  is  not  to  walk  as  does  the 
baby,  who  takes  one,  two,  three  steps — and  then  falls  into 
his  mother's  arms.  We  are  not  to  be  content  with  a  step 
or  two  in  the  Christian  life,  after  which  we  say  we  are  so 
tired  that  we  must  rest  awhile.  We  are  not  to  be  satisfied 
with  a  little  following  of  the  Master,  and  afterv/ard,  perhaps 
for  days  and  weeks  together,  to  live  our  own  lives  just  as 
we  choose,  till  another  spasm  of  activity  takes  possession  of 
us.  From  the  Greek  verb  here  used  by  Paul  for  walk  the 
name  of  the  Peripatetic  school  of  philosophers  was  derived. 
Aristotle,  the  founder  of  this  school,  was  accustomed  to  teach 
his  students  while  he  walked  about  in  his  garden;  his  suc- 
cessors also  were  peripatetics,  philosophers  who  walked 
about.  To  us  a  peripatetic  means  a  traveler.  We  are  to  he 
peripatetics  in  the  Christian  life.  We  are  to  walk.  We  are 
to  keep  on  walking.    We  are  to  be  active  always. 

And  our  walk,  our  activity,  is  to  be  worthy  of  Christ,  not 
only  in  some  things,  but  in  all  things.  There  is  no  room  for 
a  weak  determination  to  be  worthy  of  Christ  in  a  few  things, 
but  not  in  others;  no  justification  for  the  plea  sometimes 
heard,  "God  does  not  expect  me  to  pattern  my  life  according 
to  his  standards  in  everything;  I  can  take  up  the  Chris- 
tian Hfe  by  degrees,  and  in  time  I  will  come  to  all  these 
things."  There  are  Christians  who  make  scarcely  any  effec- 
tive, aggressive  impact  on  the  lives  of  others  because  they 
are  not  trying  to  please  Christ  in  all  things.  Perhaps  they 
have  had  a  season  of  fruitfulness,  but  for  some  reason  they 
have  gradually  ceased  to  bear  fruit.  As,  frequently,  a  fruit 
tree  has  nothing  on  it  but  leaves,  so  some  Christians  have 
nothing  but  words  by  which  to  manifest  to  the  world  their 
claim  to  be  called  God's  sons.  Their  words  are  as  plentiful 
as  the  leaves  on  the  fruitless  tree,  but  somehow  the  world 
refuses  to  accept  words  unless  they  are  backed  up  by  actions. 
No  more  can  God  accept  protestations  of  affection  to  him, 
unless  these  are  proved  by  an  effort  to  overcome  sin  and  live 
a  fruitful  Hfe. 

The  necessity  of  living  carefully  cannot  he  overemphasized. 
If  the  words  we  speak  are  to  he  effective,  they  must  be  backed 


THE  WORTHY  WALK  [V-c] 

by  a  life  that  inspires  confidence.  The  message  given  to 
Christian  workers  by  Doctor  Maclaren  should  never  be  for- 
gotten :  "Be,  and  then  do,  and  then  speak."  Because  he  Hved 
in  accordance  with  this  precept,  his  Hfe  was  effective  and  his 
speech  was  powerful.  The  world  has  no  use  for  a  man's 
words  unless  his  acts  and  his  speech  correspond. 

Other  people  may  make  great  pretensions  and  fail  to  carry 
them  out,  if  they  will,  but  the  Christian  must  make  every 
effort  to  live  in  accordance  with  his  professions,  A  mission- 
ary has  told  of  the  chief  of  a  tribe  in  South  Africa  who, 
while  he  himself  was  still  a  heathen,  proved  to  be  a  good 
friend  of  Christianity.  He  used  to  say  to  those  of  the 
tribe  who  professed  to  be  converted  to  the  new  faith :  "If 
you  become  better  men  and  women  by  being  Christians,  you 
may  remain  so;  but  if  not,  I  won't  let  you  be  Christians  at 
all."     Could  the  requirements  have  been  stated  more  clearly? 

A  sure  test  of  the  reality  of  a  convert's  Christianity  is  the 
manner  of  his  life  after  conversion.  Is  he  still  content  to 
do  the  things  that  stained  his  life  before?  Or  is  he  con- 
stantly making  such  efforts  to  conquer  sin  that  those  who 
know  him  will  realize  the  change  and  ask  what  has  come 
over  him?  The  fruits  of  earnest  Christian  living  are  so 
well  known  in  this  country  that  few  are  at  a  loss  to  answer 
such  a  question.  Even  in  heathen  lands  the  change  that 
Christ  brings  into  the  life  is  becoming  known  by  its  results. 
An  unconverted  Chinese  merchant  asked  a  traveler  from 
Manchuria  if  the  Christians  in  that  land  were  like  the  Chris- 
tians in  China,  adding  that,  if  so,  they  were  good  men.  Then 
he  gave  his  reason:  "A  man  owed  us  an  account  of  twenty 
dollars  five  j^ears  ago.  He  refused  to  acknowledge  more 
than  ten  dollars ;  and  we  had  no  redress.  A  few  months  ago 
he  became  a  Christian,  and  came  and  asked  us  to  look  up  that 
old  account.  Then  he  insisted  on  paying  the  full  amount, 
with  interest  for  all  these  years."  The  testimony  of  a  life 
like  that  goes  far  toward  undoing  the  harm  worked  by  an 
inconsistent  Christian  ;  but  think  what  the  effect  on  the  world 
would  be  if  every  Christian  should  be  content  with  nothing 
short  of  consistent  living.  The  true  Christian  proves  his 
Christianity  by  his  desire  to  permit  not  even  the  smallest 
sin  in  his  life. 

It  is  impossible  to  ivalk  worthily  of  the  Lord  without  zualk- 
ing  worthily   also   of   the   truest   manhood   and   womanhood. 

49 


rv-c]    THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

For  the  triiest  men  and  women  are  those  whose  daily  lives 
are  shaped  in  accordance  with  what  the  Master  likes — the 
things  that  are  eternally  and  invariably  right  and  proper.  A 
college  professor  knew  what  would  reach  the  careless  stu- 
dent when  he  said  to  him,  "Your  conduct  is  not  worthy  of 
your  father,  and  it  is  not  worthy  of  your  grandfather." 
He  felt  that  the  young  man  needed  to  compare  himself, 
soberly  and  honestly,  with  men  who  had  been  remarkable 
for  sterling  integrity  and  irreproachable  character.  The 
result,  he  believed,  would  be  an  earnest  purpose  to  follow 
in  the  footsteps  of  men  who  had  tried  to  walk  worthily  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Frequently  an  appeal  like  that  will 
effectually  open  the  eyes  to  the  fact  that  the  truest  manhood 
is   Christian  manhood. 

The  Christian  who  would  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord  must 
he  really  humble,  that  is,  he  should  be  manly  enough  to  real- 
ize that  he  himself  is  of  but  small  importance  as  compared 
with  the  cause  he  serves. 

Paul  spoke  of  meekness  as  a  mark  which  distinguishes  the 
Christian  from  men  of  the  world.  Perhaps  this  was  never 
better  illustrated  than  during  General  Sherman's  last  cam- 
paign in  the  South,  when  certain  changes  in  commanders  were 
made.  General  Howard  was  placed  at  the  head  of  a  special 
division.  Soon  after  this  the  war  closed  and  there  was  to  be 
a  grand  review  of  the  army  at  Washington.  The  night  before 
the  review  Sherman  sent  for  Howard,  and  said :  "The  polit- 
ical friends  of  the  officer  you  succeeded  are  determined  that 
he  shall  ride  at  the  head  of  the  corps,  and  I  want  you  to 
help  me  out."  "It  is  my  command,"  said  Howard,  "and  I  am 
entitled  to  ride  at  its  head."  "Of  course  you  are,"  replied 
Sherman,  "you  led  the  men  through  Georgia  and  the  Caro- 
linas;  but,  Howard,  you  are  a  Christian."  "If  you  put  it 
on  that  ground,"  said  Howard,  "there  is  but  one  answer. 
Let  him  ride  at  the  head  of  the  corps."  "Yes,  let  him  have 
the  honor,"  said  Sherman,  "but  you  will  report  to  me  at  nine 
o'clock,  and  will  ride  by  my  side  at  the  head  of  the  army." 
Howard  protested,  but  his  commander's  orders  were  positive. 

The  Christian  who  would  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord  will 
hy  his  life  discourage  evil. 

Of  Theodore  Storrs  Lee  this  was  said  by  his  biograp^ier: 
"His  influence  for  good  on  his  associates  was  marvelous, 
simply  because  he  proved  by  his  life  the  reality  of  his  Chris- 

50 


THE  WORTHY  WALK  [V-c] 

tian  profession.  It  was  said  of  him  by  a  friend  that  'no 
deadlier  enemy  of  vice  ever  entered  Amherst  College,'  while 
another  friend  wrote,  'When  his  tall,  rigid  form  moved 
through  a  company,  whether  in  the  fraternity  house  or  on  the 
campus,  we  all  felt  instinctively  that  here  was  one  who  could 
be  relied  upon  for  truest,  staunchest  friendship  and  unbend- 
ing integrity.  He  unconsciously  purified  the  atmosphere 
wherever  he  went.' " 

The  Christian  zvho  would  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord  will 
be  as  earnest  in  his  Christianity  at  home  as  he  is  among  those 
outside  the  home. 

When  Gypsy  Smith  became  a  Christian  there  were  those  in 
the  gypsy  encampment  who  doubted  the  worth  of  his  new 
profession.  But  when  they  observed  his  changed  conduct 
to  those  about  him,  especially  his  relatives,  there  was  an  end 
of  doubt ;  they  knew  that  the  boy's  religion  was  worth  some- 
thing and  they  wanted  to  know  more  of  Christ  who  helped 
him  to  help  them. 

A  famous  Scotch  preacher  of  the  nineteenth  century  fre- 
quently made  the  remark,  "I  have  no  use  for  a  man's  religion 
if  even  his  cat  is  not  better  because  of  it."  Is  there  not  a 
serious  truth  behind  his  words?  If  our  religion  does  not 
improve  our  relations  to  those  with  whom  we  are  most 
closely  associated,  something  is  wrong  somewhere. 

The  Christian  who  would  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord  must 
he  ready  always  to  serve  his  fellows  in  the  name  of  Christ. 

The  day  has  passed  when  a  Christian  man  can  say  without 
shame  that  he  is  so  busy  with  his  own  affairs  that  he  must 
leave  definite  service  for  others  to  "ministers  and  those  who 
are  paid  to  do  it."  Years  ago  such  a  letter  as  the  following 
might  have  caused  surprised  comment:  "I  have  just  suc- 
ceeded in  persuading  a  citizen  of  'X'  to  give  me  a  building 
which  has,  hitherto,  been  rather  a  disreputable  dance  hall, 
along  with  the  piano,  furniture,  and  considerable  land.  I 
am  going  to  establish  a  rural  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, and  the  land  will  be  used  for  terraced  courts  and 
children's  gardens.  We  are  aiming  to  have  a  Community 
Welfare  Building.  The  dance  hall  will  be  turned  into  a 
gymnasium."  That  such  a  letter  does  not  attract  wide- 
spread attention  today  is  an  indication  that  the  layman  is 
coming  into  his  own. 

The  biographer  of  William  Henry  Baldwin,  once  President 

51 


[V-c]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

of  the  Long  Island  Railroad,  tells  an  illuminating  incident  of 
his  life  of  service.  "On  a  European  trip  he  had  noticed  on 
board  ship — I  think  in  the  second  cabin — a  distressed  woman 
with  a  sick  child.  He  found  that  she  was  not  only  alone,  but 
had  a  poor  and  inconvenient  stateroom.  His  own  spacious 
apartment  became  at  once  uncomfortable  to  him,  and  was 
turned  over  during  the  remaining  days  to  mother  and  child." 
Mr.  Baldwin's  friends  said  that  this  act  was  typical.  Busi- 
ness perplexities  never  blinded  him  to  the  troubles  of  those 
about  him — even  those  who  would  have  been  thought  outside 
the  range  of  his  vision.  One  day,  from  the  window  of  an 
elevated  train,  he  saw  in  the  street  below  the  face  of  a  child 
that  sent  to  his  heart  a  message  of  suffering.  At  the  first 
opportunity  he  descended  to  the  street.  When  he  found  the 
child  he  saw  that  he  was  ill.  Business  was  forgotten  until  the 
sufferer  was  in  the  hospital. 

Unless  it  is  an  essential  part  of  one's  daily  life  to  do 
such  things,  and  to  do  them  quietly  and  unostentatiously, 
there  is  something  radically  wrong.  Thousands  of  years  ago, 
by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet,  God  reminded  his  people  that 
he  had  no  pleasure  in  those  who  professed  to  serve  him 
\vhile  they  gave  no  heed  to  the  cries  of  the  needy,  and  that 
he  rejoiced  in  the  service  of  those  who  found  pleasure  in 
giving  their  bread  to  the  hungry  and  in  bringing  the  poor 
that  are  cast  out  to  their  houses.  This  was  the  Old  Testament 
form  of  the  assurance  given  in  the  New  Testament  that 
"Pure  religion  and  undefiled  ...  is  this,  to  visit  the  father- 
less and  widows  in  their  affliction"   (James  i:  27). 

God  wants  us  to  remember  this  half  of  the  sentence,  but  he 
does  not  want  us  to  forget  the  other  half :  "and  to  keep  one- 
self unspotted  from  the  world," 

There  is  but  one  way  to  keep  unspotted  from  the  world. 
We  must  live  on  intimate  terms  with  the  spotless  Lamb  of 
God,  who  found  comfort  in  comforting  others,  who  gave  his 
life  that  sorrow  and  sighing  might  flee  away,  and  that  all 
might  have  abundant  life.  Those  who  do  this  will  "walk 
worthily  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing." 

We  glorify  thy  name,  O  God,  as  we  sing  of  thy  goodness  to 
us.  Teach  us  to  glorify  thee  also  by  living  in  such  intimate 
fellowship  with  thee  that  those  who  knozv  us  shall  desire  to 
serve  him  who  fills  our  lives  with  joy  and  gives  us  strength 

52 


THE  WORTHY  WALK  [V-s] 

for  the  conquest  of  evil.  Enable  us  to  give  a  true  idea  of 
what  it  is  to  he  a  Christian,  not  merely  once  in  a  while,  but 
always.  Be  with  us  zvhen  the  temptation  comes  suddenly 
to  speak  or  act  hastily  and  thoughtlessly,  and  save  us  and 
those  who  know  us  from  the  sad  consequences  of  our  unfaith- 
fulness. Let  it  be  evident  to  all  who  know  us  that  there  has 
been  a  change  in  our  thinking  and  in  our  life,  because  of  our 
trust  in  thee.  Thus  may  our  witness  for  thee  be  such  that 
thou  canst  use  it  for  thy  glory.    For  thy  name's  sake.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

Why  was  it  a  mistake  for  Lot  to  pitch  his  tent  toward 
Sodom?     (Genesis  13:  12,  13). 

How  Hterally  should  we  interpret  Paul's  appeal  to  do  every- 
thing to  God's  glory? 

Do  those  who  try  to  live  to  God's  glory  abridge  their  lib- 
erty of  action? 

What  do  you  think  of  the  statement  that  the  greatest  proof 
of  the  reality  of  a  man's  liberty  is  his  readiness  to  do  only 
the  things  he  is  sure  will  please  God? 


53 


CHAPTER  VI 

Living  by  Faith 

DAILY  READINGS 

Sixth  Week,  First  Day 

For  by  grace  have  ye  been  saved  through  faith;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God. — Eph.  2:  8. 

What  is  your  idea  of  grace?  What  was  the  meaning  of 
the  father's  reply  to  his  son  who  did  not  see  why  he  should 
be  helpful  to  a  stranger :  "No,  you  do  not  have  to  help  him, 
but  to  do  so  would  be  a  gracious  act"?  Then,  what  did 
Peter  mean  when  he  said  that  the  Lord  is  gracious?  (I 
Peter  2:  s).  What  clause  in  Ephesians  2:  8  defines  grace? 
How  would  you  define  faith?  Does  Hebrews  i:  i  help 
you  to  frame  a  definition?  What  is  meant  by  the  man 
who  says  of  an  acquaintance,  "I  have  faith  in  him"?  What 
is  meant  by  one  who  says,  "I  have  faith  in  Christ"?  Should 
he  mean  any  less  than  this :  that  he  takes  Christ  for  his 
friend,  that  he  depends  on  Christ  for  salvation,  on  the  basis 
of  what  he  has  learned  of  Christ  and  of  Christ's  readiness 
to  supply  his  need? 

Turn  to  the  definitions  of  grace  and  faith  in  the  unabridged 
dictionary.  Study  these.  Then  make  your  own  definition 
if  these  do  not  seem  to  you  to  cover  the  ground. 

Sixth  Week,  Second  Day 

Not  of  works,  that  no  man  should  glory.  For  we  are 
his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  for  good  works, 
which  God  afore  prepared  that  we  should  walk  in  them. 
— Eph.  2:  9,   10. 

We  reckon  therefore  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith 
apart  from  the  works  of  the  law. — Rom.  3;  28. 

54 


LIVING  BY  FAITH  [VI-3] 

What  have  good  works  to  do  with  a  man's  salvation?  Is 
there  any  contradiction  between  the  passage  in  Romans  and 
the  passage  in  Ephesians?  Is  there  any  conflict  between 
Paul's  teaching  in  the  passage  in  Romans  and  the  teaching 
of  James  2:  14-20?  Paul  was  talking  of  the  works  of  the 
law;  James  was  talking  of  the  works  of  love.  Love  can- 
not be  satisfied  unless  it  is  proving  itself  by  action.  Then 
what  does  faith  amount  to  unless  it  shows  itself  by  works? 
A  freshman  in  college  who  had  been  rather  careless  in  his 
life  told  his  fellows  of  his  purpose  to  become  a  Christian. 
He  was  surprised  that  his  announcement  made  little  impres- 
sion. One  of  the  students  gave  the  explanation :  "We'll  see 
if  he  means  what  he  says."  Was  the  demand  unreasonable? 
God  asks  of  us  faith  that  shows  itself  by  doing  things. 

Read  Matthew  19:  16-22.  How  did  the  young  man's  con- 
ception of  works  differ  from  Christ's  conception? 

Sixth  Week,  Third  Day 

O  foolish  Galatians,  who  did  bewitch  you,  before  whose 
eyes  Jesus  Christ  was  openly  set  forth  crucified?  This 
only  would  I  learn  from  you,  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by 
the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith? — Gal. 
3:  I,  2. 

Are  ye  so  foolish?  having  begun  in  the  Spirit,  are  ye 
now  perfected  in  the  flesh?  Did  ye  suffer  so  many  things 
in  vain?  if  it  be  indeed  in  vain.  He  therefore  that  sup- 
plieth  to  you  the  Spirit,  and  worketh  miracles  among 
you,  doeth  he  it  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hear- 
ing of  faith?  Even  as  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was 
reckoned  unto  him  for  righteousness.  Know  therefore 
that  they  that  are  of  faith,  the  same  are  sons  of  Abraham. 
And  the  scripture,  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify 
the  Gentiles  by  faith,  preached  the  gospel  beforehand 
unto  Abraham,  saying.  In  thee  shall  all  the  nations  be 
blessed.  So  then  they  that  are  of  faith  are  blessed  with 
the  faithful  Abraham. — Gal.  3:  3-9. 

What  is  to  be  thought  of  one  who,  having  known  the  joy 
of  belief  in  Christ,  forgets  the  cross  and  once  more  depends 
on  his  own  unaided  efforts  to  keep  the  law  of  God?  Was 
Paul  justified  in  saying  to  a  company  of  such  people,  "O 
foolish  Galatians,  who  did  bewitch  you?"  Through  faith 
God's  blessing  is  offered  to  all  the  world.     Why,  then,  turn 

55 


[VI-4]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

to  some  other  way  of  seeking  salvation?  If  Christ  is  neces- 
sary at  the  beginning,  why  is  he  not  necessary  throughout 
life?  What,  then,  shall  be  thought  of  those  who  say,  "Oh, 
this  was  all  very  well  for  us  when  we  were  young,  but  now 
that  we  have  learned  more  of  the  world  we  see  that  we  do 
not  need  to  depend  on  these  childish,  impractical  teachings." 
What  shall  we  substitute  for  faith  in  Christ? 

Sixth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel:  for  it  is  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth;  to  the 
Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek.  For  therein  is  revealed 
a  righteousness  of  God  from  faith  unto  faith:  as  it  is 
written,  But  the  righteous  shall  live  by  faith. — Rom.  i: 
i6,   17. 

In  "The  Kingdom  in  India,"  Dr.  Chamberlain  tells  of 
seeing  a  venerable  Brahmin  engaged  in  his  devotions  on  a 
stone  platform  around  the  central  trunk  of  a  banyan  tree. 
"Slowly,  with  beads  in  hand,  he  performed  his  circum- 
ambulations,  keeping  his  face  toward  the  shrine,  reciting  his 
prayers."  Asked  what  he  sought,  he  said,  "I  am  seeking 
to  get  rid  of  the  burden  of  sin.  Each  effort  that  I  make  is 
as  unsuccessful  as  the  one  before.  My  pilgrimages  and  pen- 
ances and  prayers  for  sixty  years  have  all  been  in  vain."  He 
had  spent  two  years  in  bathing  in  the  Ganges,  "but,"  he 
said,  "the  Ganges  water  washed  the  foulness  from  my  skin, 
not  the  foulness  from  my  soul."  Then  he  asked,  "Does 
your  Veda  tell  how  I  can  get  rid  of  the  burden  of  sin  and 
be  at  peace?"  Gladly  the  missionary  told  him  that  freedom 
from  the  burden  of  sin  would  come  if  he  was  ready  to  accept 
Christ  and  show  his  faith  in  him  by  his  life.  Eagerly  the 
Brahmin  listened  and  anxiously  he  read  the  gospels  given 
him.  When  he  went  away,  there  was  such  a  look  on  his 
face  that  the  missionary  was  convinced  he  had  learned  the 
meaning  of  faith  in  Christ. 

Sixth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Being  therefore  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  through  whom  also 
we  have  had  our  access  by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein 

56 


LIVING  BY  FAITH  [VI-6] 

we  stand;  and  we  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God. — 

Rom.  5:  I,  2. 

Thus  Paul  tells  us  of  two  consequences  of  faith.  First, 
there  is  peace.  When  a  man  believes  in  the  Master  there 
is  no  longer  any  excuse  for  turmoil  or  confusion  in  his  life, 
and  he  does  not  need  to  be  bothered  about  his  relation  to 
God ;  he  knows  that  he  and  God  are  friends.  Alore  than  this, 
the  man  who  believes  in  Christ  is  able  to  take  his  stand  on 
the  grace  of  God.  "What  is  grace?"  a  Christian  was  asked. 
"Grace  is  everything  for  nothing,"  was  the  reply.  It  is  the 
undeserved  favor  of  God,  given  to  us  because  he  loves  us, 
and  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  It  gives  a  sense  of  security,  a 
knowledge  of  companionship,  an  assurance  of  strength  for 
the  struggle  with  the  things  that  threaten  to  make  life  sordid 
and  unpleasant.  And  the  best  of  it  is  that  when  a  man 
stands  on  the  grace  of  God  that  grace  gets  into  his  heart  and 
proves  a  foundation  on  which  he  is  able  to  build  a  life  of 
the  graces  that  make  him  a  favorite  with  his  fellows. 

How  does  faith  give  access  to  God's  grace?  Is  Christian 
life  possible  without  faith?    See  Hebrews  11:  6;  Acts  16:  31. 

Sixth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

And  my  God  shall  supply  every  need  of  yours  accord- 
ing to  his  riches  in  glory  in  Christ  Jesus. — Phil.  4:  19. 

Note  carefully  every  word  of  the  text.  See  how  definite 
is  the  promise.  God  will  supply  every  need,  and  in  fullest 
measure,  for  his  supply  is  according  to  his  riches  in  glory, 
not  according  to  human  measurement.  How  can  we  expect 
to  measure  the  gift  of  Christ?  Is  it  possible  to  determine 
the  hmits  of  eternity?  Can  we  tell  how  far  the  East  is 
from  the  West?  God  ministers  to  us  at  all  times  and  satis- 
fies us  abundantly.  Then  what  excuse  can  there  be  for  con- 
tinuing to  live  an  incomplete  life? 

Find,  in  the  first  part  of  Matthew,  chapter  7,  the  warrant 
for  Paul's  assurance  that  God  supplies  the  needs  of  those 
who  have  faith  in  him. 

Sixth  Week,  Seventh  Day 

For  I  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered 

57 


[VI-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

• 

unto  you,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  night  in  which  he 
was  betrayed  took  bread;  and  when  he  had  given  thanks, 
he  brake  it,  and  said,  This  is  my  body,  which  is  for  you: 
this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  In  Hke  manner  also  the 
cup,  after  supper,  saying.  This  cup  is  the  new  covenant 
in  my  blood:  this  do,  as  often  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remem- 
brance of  me.  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink 
the  cup,  ye  proclaim  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come. — 
I  Cor.  II :  23-26. 

A  thoughtful  man  overtook  two  plumbers.  As  he  passed 
them,  he  heard  these  words :  "I  have  a  bit  of  iron  tubing 
at  home  that  I  wouldn't  part  with.  It  was  picked  up  down 
in  Panama.  I  keep  it  for  a  momentum."  The  man  who 
overheard  the  words  smiled  at  the  odd  blunder.  But  later 
he  wondered  if  the  workman's  use  of  momentum  instead 
of  memento  was,  after  all,  such  a  blunder.  A  real  memento 
should  be  a  spur  to  action,  an  impulse  to  better  living. 
When  Jesus  presided  as  host  at  the  first  Lord's  Supper 
he  said :  "This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  Memento  is  the 
imperative  form  of  the  Latin  verb  to  remember.  Then  may 
we  not  think  of  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  memento?  More, 
does  it  not  give  momentum  to  him  who  eats  the  bread  and 
drinks  the  wine  because  he  has  faith  in  Christ  as  his  Saviour? 
How  does  it  help  a  harassed  and  troubled  assistant  to  feel 
the  encouraging  touch  of  his  chief  on  his  shoulder?  How  is 
a  Christian  helped  by  feeling  the  touch  of  Christ  in  the  com- 
munion service,  looking  by  faith  into  the  face  of  the  Con- 
queror of  sin  and  death,  and  receiving  Christ's  very  life  in 
his  appointed  way? 

Read  the  account  of  the  first  Lord's  Supper,  in  Luke  22: 
14-20. 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

A  Swiss  paper  tells  of  a  j^oung  student  on  an  express 
train  between  Frankfort  and  Basel  who  sneered  when  he 
saw  a  church  in  course  of  construction  in  a  village.  "It's 
only  imbeciles  who  attend  church,"  he  insisted.  "Then  I'm 
an  imbecile,"  quietly  answered  one  of  the  men  in  the  same 
coach.  "I,  too,"  broke  in  a  third  traveler.  "I  go  every  Sun- 
day to  church,  and  although  an  imbecile,  am  nevertheless 
professor  in  the  University  of  Leipsig."  Another  traveler 
added,    "I    am    chief    councilor   in    the    city   government    of 

58 


LIVING  BY  FAITH  [VI-c] 

Strassburg,  and  a  churchgoer."  And  still  another  chimed 
in,  "I'm  head  of  the  Berne  gymnasium,  and  a  convinced 
Christian." 

These  imbeciles  were  in  good  company.  They  knew  that 
Paul  had  been  willing  to  be  called  a  fool  for  Christ's  sake. 
They  knew  that  their  Master  had  been  accused  of  being 
beside  himself.  Why,  then,  should  they  refuse  to  let  the 
student  know  that  they  were  of  the  "imbecile"  party?  And 
why  should  not  we  be  as  ready  to  stand  by  our  colors  when 
we  find  ourselves  in  the  presence  of  those  who  sneer  at  others 
who  are  foolish  enough  to  own  that  they  believe  in  Christ? 

Paul  stood  by  his  colors.  To  those  who  wished  to  put 
faith  in  Christ  in  the  background  of  their  lives,  who  thought 
it  a  sign  of  manliness  to  belittle  the  cross  of  Christ,  he  wrote, 
"God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

There  can  be  no  life  worth  v/hile  without  Christ.  Note 
well  what  the  Bible  says  on  this  point.  "Without  faith  it 
is  impossible  to  be  well-pleasing  unto  him"  (Heb.  ii:  6). 
Christ  rebuked  Peter  when  his  faith  was  small.  "O  thou 
of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt?"  (Matt.  14:  31). 
To  the  disciples  he  said,  "O  ye  of  little  faith,  why  reason  ye 
among  yourselves?"  (Matt.  16:  8).  And  again,  "O  faith- 
less generation,  how  long  shall  I  be  with  you?"  (Mark  9: 
19).  The  emphasis  placed  on  faith  by  Christ  is  indicated 
also  by  his  careful  efforts  to  develop  the  faith  of  the  Syro- 
phoenecian   woman    (Mark  7:   26). 

In  "Instans  Tyrannus"  Browning  tells  us  of  a  man  whose 
faith  was  so  stedfast  that  his  godless  king  tried  in  vain  to 
break  his  spirit.  The  king  exhausted  his  ingenuity  in  plan- 
ning punishment.  At  last  he  thought  of  one  supreme  torture. 
He  tells  thus  of  the  result: 

"So,  I  soberly  laid  my  last  plan, 

To  extinguish  the   man. 

Round  his  creep-hole,   with  never  a  break, 

Ran  my  fires  for  his  sake ; 

Over-head,  did  my  thunder  combine 

With  my  under-ground  mine : 

Till  I  looked   from   my  labor   content 

To  enjoy  the  event. 

When  sudden    .     .     .    how  think  j^e,  the  end? 

Did    I    say    'without    friend'? 

59 


[VI-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

Say  rather,  from  marge  to  blue  marge 

The  whole  sky  grew  his  targe 

With  the  sun's  self  for  visible  boss, 

While  an  Arm  ran  across 

Which  the  earth  heaved  beneath  like  a  breast 

Where  the  wretch  was  safe  prest ! 

Do  you  see?     Just  my  vengeance  complete, 

The  man  sprang  to  his  feet, 

Stood   erect,    caught   at   God's   skirts,   and  prayed ! 

— So,  /  was  afraid !" 
But,  while  works  must  not  take  the  place  of  faith,  it  must 
he  remembered  that  faith  cannot  be  divorced  from  the  works 
that  prove  it  real,  vital. 

Paul  agreed  with  James  that  a  living  faith  proves  itself 
by  works.  Faith  is  important ;  so  are  works.  Our  faith  is 
judged  by  our  works.  Christ  indicated  this  when  he  said, 
"Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of 
my  Father"  (Matt.  7:  21).  To  the  churches  he  said,  "I 
know  thy  works"  (Rev.  3:  i,  8).  And  this  knowledge  was 
the  warrant  for  what  he  said  to  them  of  their  life.  Thus 
faith  and  works  go  hand  in  hand. 

That  faith  and  works  must  go  together  was  taught  by  a 
Highland  boatman  of  whom  Dr.  Guthrie  once  told.  A  pas- 
senger crossing  a  lake  in  a  rowboat  was  caught  in  a  storm. 
Terrified,  he  called  on  the  boatman  to  join  him  in  prayer 
for  deliverance.  But  the  boatman  said,  "You  pray,  and  I'll 
row."  Prayer  and  rowing  might  have  been  combined,  but 
at  any  rate  the  boatman  knew  that  it  was  no  time  to  let  go 
of  the  oars.  Jesus  teaches  us  to  pray,  "Lead  us  not  into 
temptation,"  but  he  is  just  as  insistent  in  teaching,  "Watch 
and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation."  Faith  and 
works  have  been  united  by  God,  and,  "what  .  .  .  God  hath 
joined  together,  let  no  man  put  asunder." 

A  bhnd  man  on  a  city  street  gave  an  object  lesson  of  faith 
proved  by  works.  He  was  feeling  his  way  with  his  stick. 
A  friend  met  him  and  said  he  would  walk  a  few  squares 
with  him.  Instantly  the  blind  man  took  the  arm  of  his 
friend.  This  movement  would  not  have  been  the  expression 
of  real  faith  if  he  had  then  shown  himself  unwilling  to  go 
•where  his  friend  led  him.  But  that  the  blind  man's  faith 
was  real  was  proved  as  he  instantly  moved  ahead,  dragging 

60 


LIVING  BY  FAITH  [VI-c] 

his  stick  behind  him  and  following  unquestioningly  his  com- 
panion's slightest  movement. 

We  can  well  afford  to  put  ourselves  in  God's  hands,  ask- 
ing him  to  supply  our  needs,  trusting  in  him  for  the  things 
that  will  make  life  gloriously  rich.  God  is  all  powerful,  and 
when  we  trust  him  there  is  nothing  he  will  not  do  for  us. 

God's  problem  with  his  children  is  not  the  problem  of 
what  he  shall  give  to  them;  it  is  rather  the  problem  of  get- 
ting them  into  the  right  attitude  for  receiving  what  he  is 
so  able  and  willing  to  give  them.  He  has  rich  gifts  awaiting 
the  true  prayers  of  his  children,  gifts  that  are  to  be  had 
for  the  asking  and  not  to  be  had  unless  they  are  asked  for. 
He  can  be  depended  upon  to  keep  his  promises  to  his  chil- 
dren, but  he  can  keep  them  only  when  his  children  comply 
with  the  conditions  necessary  for  the  answer. 

Here,  too,  it  must  he  remembered  that  faith  and  works  go 
together.  God  gives  to  those  who  come  to  him  believing  in 
him,  but  he  gives  his  best  to  those  who  are  ready  to  follow 
his  plan  to  receive  the  best. 

The  addresses  of  a  mission  worker  who  has  wonderful 
power  to  win  men  to  Christ,  are  packed  full  of  Scripture. 
"I  wish  I  had  his  gift  of  using  the  Bible!"  has  been  the 
remark  of  more  than  one  hearer.  The  worker  has  told  how 
the  gift  came  to  him.  When  he  was  converted  it  was,  of 
course,  necessary  to  quit  the  use  of  profane  language.  To 
his  surprise  he  found  that  half  of  his  vocabulary  was  gone. 
For  two  years  the  Bible  formed  practically  his  only  read- 
ing, until  he  became  saturated  with  Bible  words  and  phrases. 
Now  he  thinks  Bible,  talks  Bible,  lives  the  Bible.  He  has 
a  gift — God's  gift  to  a  man  who  toiled. 

Jesus  wanted  to  make  it  the  simplest  possible  matter  for 
people  to  cooperate  with  him,  so  he  planned  the  feast  of 
faith  that  would  be  at  once  a  reminder  of  man's  need  of 
Christ  and  a  help  in  reaching  out  and  taking  hold  of  him, 
and,  with  him,  of  all  things  that  are  necessary. 

Those  who  accept  Christ's  invitation  to  the  feast  he  has 
appointed,  feed  upon  him  by  faith,  eating  the  body  broken 
for  them,  drinking  the  blood  shed  for  them.  This  is  a 
mystery.  But  Jesus  said  it  would  be  so,  and  countless 
millions  have  proved  and  are  daily  proving  the  truth  of  his 
words. 

Sometimes  Christians  feel  that  they  have  no  right  to  go  to 
6i 


[VI-s]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

the  Lord's  Supper  because  they  have  sinned.  If  they  come 
at  all,  they  rob  themselves  of  comfort  by  saying  to  them- 
selves, "I  ought  not  to  be  here ;  I  am  not  fit."  Of  course 
they  are  not  fit — until  the  Lord  gets  hold  of  them.  Con- 
fession of  sin  and  earnest  desire  to  get  a  new  grip  on  Jesus 
Christ  gives  to  anybody  a  right  to  return  to  the  table  of 
Christ,  and  so  to  get  in  position  to  receive  his  best. 

For  "the  righteous  shall  live" — not  by  church  attendance, 
not  by  mingling  with  God's  people,  not  by  good  deeds,  but 
**the  righteous  shall  live  by  faith." 

Master,  teach  us  how  to  abide  in  thee,  to  feed  upon  thee, 
to  receive  thy  life,  to  go  in  thy  strength  day  by  day.  We 
thank  thee  that,  knowing  our  need  of  thee,  thou  hast  shown 
us  how  we  may  come  to  thee.  We  thank  thee  that  thou 
hast  spread  the  table  for  us,  and  that  we  may  feast  upon 
thee.  Let  the  Lord's  Supper  mean  more  to  tis  each  time 
we  eat  the  bread  and  drink  the  wine.  And  give  us  the  joy 
of  bringing  with  us  to  thy  table  others  who  have  not  yet 
given  their  hearts  to  thee.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  words,  "the  righteous,"  as 
appHed  to  those  who  are  saved  by  their  faith  in  Christ? 
Read  Romans  3 :  24,  25. 

How  would  you  reply  to  one  who  says  that  faith  is  unrea- 
sonable; that  he  cannot  believe  in  what  he  does  not  see  or 
feel? 

Why  is  the  Lord's  Supper  helpful  to  the  one  who  would 
act  on  Jesus'  words  in  John  15:  4? 

Paul  said  (Phil.  4:  13),  "I  can  do  all  things  in  him  that 
strengtheneth  me."  What  is  the  significance  of  the  phrase, 
"in    him?" 

What  does  the  Lord's  Supper  mean  to  me? 


62 


CHAPTER  VII 

The  Christian  Goal 

DAILY  READINGS 

Seventh  Week,  First  Day 

Be  perfected. — II   Cor.   13:   11. 

Not  that  I  have  already  obtained,  or  am  already  made 
perfect:  but  I  press  on,  if  so  be  that  I  may  lay  hold  on 
that  for  which  also  I  was  laid  hold  on  by  Christ  Jesus. 
Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  yet  to  have  laid  hold:  but 
one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  the  things  which  are  behind, 
and  stretching  forward  to  the  things  which  are  before, 
I  press  on  toward  the  goal  unto  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. — Phil.  3:  12-14. 

In  the  Authorized  Version,  Paul's  message  is  translated 
"Be  perfect,"  but  the  Revised  Version  gives  it  "Be  perfected." 
What  is  the  difference?  Which  form  do  you  prefer?  There 
are  those  who  criticize  the  assumption  that  a  Christian  can 
be  perfect.  But  who  can  object  to  the  urgent  entreaty  "be 
perfected"?  that  is,  "be  completed"?  An  employer,  speak- 
ing of  a  young  man  who  had  recently  taken  a  desk  in  his 
office,  said,  "He  is  wonderfully  good  in  so  many  ways,  but 
he  lacks  initiative."  What  should  that  young  man  do  when 
he  discovers  his  failing?  Would  it  be  enough  to  sigh  over 
it?  How  long  would  his  employer  be  apt  to  retain  him 
after  being  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  doing 
nothing  to  complete  himself?  How  would  you  go  about 
the  task  of  completing  yourself  if  you  were  in  his  place? 
How  is  the  Christian  to  begin  to  be  completed,  to  be  per- 
fected ? 

Seventh  Week,  Second  Day 

Know  ye  not  that  they  that  run  in  a  race  run  all,  but 
one  receiveth  the  prize?  Even  so  run;  that  ye  may  attain. 

63 


[VII-31  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

And  every  man  that  striveth  in  the  games  exerciseth  self- 
control  in  all  things.  Now  they  do  it  to  receive  a  cor- 
ruptible crown;  but  we  an  incorruptible.  I  therefore  so 
run,  as  not  uncertainly;  so  fight  I,  as  not  beating  the 
air:  but  I  buffet  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  bondage: 
lest  by  any  means,  after  that  I  have  preached  to  others,  I 
myself  should  be  rejected. — I  Cor.  9:  24-27. 

An  ancient  writer  says :  "Wouldst  thou  conquer  in  the 
games?  Thou  must  be  orderly,  spare  in  food,  must  abstain 
from  confections,  exercise  at  a  fixed  hour  whether  in  heat 
or  cold,  drink  no  cold  water  nor  wine."  Today  similar 
training  is  required  of  those  who  are  preparing  for  athletic 
contests.  What  is  the  incentive  that  makes  a  man  ready  to 
undertake  the  training?  If  it  is  worth  while  to  deny  one- 
self hurtful  things  that  he  may  be  able  to  wear  the  college 
initial  on  his  jersey,  is  it  v/orth  while  for  us  to  put  out  of  the 
life  things  that  interfere  with  the  purpose  to  be  a  real  man? 
How  is  a  careless  Christian  like  an  uncertain  runner  or  a 
wrestler  who  spends  his  strength  on  the  air  instead  of  on 
his  opponent?  Under  what  sort  of  discipline  should  a  Chris- 
tian put  himself  if  he  is  to  live  at  his  best? 

Seventh  Week,  Third  Day 

Till  we  all  attain  unto  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  fullgrown  man, 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ: 
that  we  may  be  no  longer  children,  tossed  to  and  fro 
and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the 
sleight  of  men,  in  craftiness,  after  the  wiles  of  error; 
but  speaking  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  in  all  things 
into  him,  who  is  the  head,  even  Christ. — Eph.  4:  13-15. 

What  is  conveyed  by  the  expressive  phrase  sometimes  used 
of  a  man,  "He  has  arrived"?  Substitute  arrive  for  attain 
in  the  first  clause  of  the  day's  passage.  Is  the  meaning 
clearer?  It  cannot  be  said  of  the  Christian  that  he  has 
arrived  until  he  has  become  a  man  through  his  knowledge  of 
the  only  full-grown  Man  who  ever  lived.  What  indication 
is  there  in  the  first  clause  that  a  Christian  cannot  arrive 
alone?  How  many  should  we  take  along  with  us  in  our 
struggle  to  reach  the  goal?     But  it  is  not  a  simple  matter 

64 


THE  CHRISTIAN  GOAL  [VII-4] 

either  to  advance  to  the  goal  ourselves  or  to  take  others  with 
us.  It  is  so  much  simpler  to  be  like  children,  to  listen  to 
every  hare-brained  teacher  vi^ho  has  some  new  hobby  to 
exploit,  or  to  follow  those  who  play  with  religion  even  when 
their  play  proves  dangerous  to  those  whom  they  should 
help.     How  shall  we  arm  ourselves  against  these  dangers? 

Seventh  Week,  Fourth  Day 

And  the  Lord  make  you  to  increase  and  abound  in 
love  one  toward  another,  and  toward  all  men,  even  as 
we  also  do  toward  you;  to  the  end  he  may  establish 
your  hearts  unblameable  in  holiness  before  our  God  and 
Father,  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  with  all  his 
saints. — I  Thess.  3:  12,  13. 

The  author  of  "Pastor  Hsi"  has  told  of  a  man  of  some 
position  and  property  in  China  who  became  a  Christian. 
His  income  was  derived  largely  from  the  cultivation  of 
opium  and  tobacco.  At  first  he  did  not  see  the  harm  in  con- 
tinuing to  grow  these  crops.  But  after  a  time  he  came  to  see 
that  such  action  was  inconsistent  with  his  profession.  He 
hesitated  to  turn  his  land  to  less  profitable  uses,  but  he  real- 
ized that  there  was  only  one  course  open  to  him,  "He 
unhesitatingly  made  a  clean  sweep  of  the  whole  business, 
though  it  involved  the  sacrifice  of  a  considerable  portion  of 
his  income.  Not  content  with  banishing  opium  from  his 
estate,  he  also  abandoned  the  growth  of  tobacco.  Nor 
would  he  continue  to  keep  pigs  on  his  farm.  'No,'  he  insisted, 
'they  are  filthy' ;  which  is  certainly  true  in  China.  'We  must 
have  nothing  to  do  with  that  which  is  impure.' " 

How  much  do  zve  think  of  soul  health  in  comparison  with 
bodily  health  f  How  does  the  prayer  of  III  John  2  appeal 
to  us? 

Seventh  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  who  began 
a  good  work  in  you  will  perfect  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus 
Christ.— Phil,    i:    6. 

A  runner  who  is  doubtful  of  his  ability  to  distance  his 
competitors,  who  dwells  on  the  thought  of   failure,  has  not 

65 


[VII-6]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

much  chance  of  winning.  The  professional  man  who  thinks 
oftener,  "What  if  I  should  fail,"  than  "I  intend  to  succeed," 
is  not  likely  to  get  very  far.  What  chance  of  growth  has  the 
Christian  who  feels  that  it  should  not  be  expected  of  him 
that  he  will  progress  very  far  on  the  way  to  manhood  in 
Christ  Jesus?  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  proper 
confidence  and  foolish  conceit.  Why  is  it  reasonable  to  think 
that  when  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  begins  to  do  something 
in  us  he  knows  what  his  plan  is,  and  will  not  give  up  until 
his  plan  is  perfected?  But  lack  of  confidence  hinders  his 
work.  You  have  your  opinion  of  a  passenger  in  an  auto- 
mobile who  grabs  the  hand  at  the  steering  wheel  in  a 
moment  when  danger  seems  to  threaten.  Have  you  put  your 
life's  steering  wheel  into  the  hands  of  the  one  safe  Pilot? 
Then  show  your  confidence  in  him! 


Seventh  Week,  Sixth  Day 

But  we  all,  with  unveiled  face  beholding  as  in  a  mirror 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  transformed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  from  the  Lord  the 
Spirit.—II  Cor.  3:  18. 

A  writer  in  "Daily  Bible"  told  this  incident :  "A  few  min- 
utes before  noon  daily,  by  the  eastern  standard  time,  every 
Western  Union  Telegraph  Company's  instrument  cuts  its 
connection,  and  is  put  in  communication  with  the  instru- 
ment in  the  Naval  Observatory  in  Washington.  At  five 
seconds  before  twelve  a  warning  tick  sounds  over  the  wires. 
When  the  skilled  operator  in  the  observatory  sees  .  .  . 
that  the  sun  is  directly  over  the  imaginary  line  of  longitude 
passing  through  the  city,  that  moment  the  fact  is  flashed 
over  miles  of  wire,  and  every  one  of  the  company's  clocks 
made  true.  Then  business  is  resumed.  The  work  of  the 
day  is  planned  with  reference  to  this  appointment.  The  com- 
pany's rule  is  to  be  absolutely  accurate;  ...  to  test  this 
accuracy  every  day,  and  to  test  it  by  the  standard  set  in  the 
heavens,  and  all  this  purely  for  commercial  purposes.  Shall 
not  we,  whose  lives  are  so  utterly  dependent  on  the  Master, 
cut  clean  our  connections  with  every  outside  thing  at  least 
once  in  every  twenty-four  hours,  and  put  our  hearts  beating 
in  time  and  tune  with  his  heart,  that  he  may  have  a  chance 

6S 


THE  CHRISTIAN  GOAL  [VII-7] 

to  set  and  keep  us  true,  and  that  we  may  not  be  misrepresent- 
ing  him?" 

What  will  be  the  effect  of  indulgence  in  things  that  are 
evil  on  the  vision  of  one  who  looks  at  Christ? 

Seventh  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Having  therefore  these  promises,  beloved,  let  us  cleanse 
ourselves  from  all  defilement  of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfect- 
ing holiness  in  the  fear  of  God. — II  Cor.  7:  i. 

The  meaning  of  the  day's  text  can  be  expressed  by  the 
use  of  three  of  its  words,  promises  .  .  .  therefore  .  .  . 
holiness.  The  previous  sentence  recorded  God's  promise  to 
receive  his  people,  to  dwell  with  them,  and  to  be  a  father  to 
them.  But  how  can  one  expect  to  be  on  familiar  terms  with 
God  if  there  is  permitted  in  the  life  what  defiles  or  soils — for 
this  is  the  literal  meaning  of  the  word?  Now  note  that  little 
word  all.  What  would  Paul  have  said  to  one  who  declared 
his  purpose  to  follow  Christ  in  the  main?  How  successful 
can  one  be  in  growing  like  Christ  if  he  attempts  any  such 
partial  process?  Why  didn't  Paul  stop  after  speaking  of 
the  necessity  of  thoroughgoing  cleansing?  What  is  likely 
to  happen  to  one  who  is  freed  from  bad  habits,  unless  there 
is  something  added  to  his  life  to  take  their  place?  See  what 
Matthew  12:  43-45  says  about  this.  For  this  reason  Paul 
told  what  more  is  necessary.  Let  holiness  in!  There  are 
those  who  sneer  at  the  idea  of  holiness.  But  why?  Holiness 
is  a  manly  quality.  Jesus  was  holy,  and  he  was  the  most 
glorious  man  who  ever  walked  the  earth. 


COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Paul  did  not  raise  the  question,  "Can  a  man  he  perfect 
in  this  life?"  But  he  did  say  that  it  is  our  duty  to  try  to 
be  perfect — to  be  unsatisfied  with  anything  short  of  perfec- 
tion in  holiness. 

It  is  the  Christian's  business  to  strive  toward  perfect 
manhood  in  Christ.  Day  by  day  he  is  to  see  to  it  that  his 
life  is  nearer  to  the  ideal  set  by  God  himself — his  own  holi- 
ness.   This  is  the  goal  set  before  him.    It  makes  no  difference 

67 


[VII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

that  this  goal  seems  a  long,  long  way  off.  Common-sense, 
matter-of-fact  Paul  says  that  it  is  a  Christian's  duty  and 
privilege  to  reach  out  continually  after  the  ideal  in  the 
assurance  that  some  day,  when  God  takes  him  from  earth, 
it  will  be  an  actual  possession. 

Here,  as  always,  Paul's  impatience  with  half  measures 
shows  itself.  His  prayer  was  that  God's  people  might  be 
sanctified  wholly,  that,  spirit  and  soul  and  body,  they  might 
be  preserved  entire  and  without  blame.  To  his  way  of  think- 
ing, Christians  are  never  good  enough;  nothing  is  good 
enough  but  perfection.  Since  perfection  cannot  be  attained 
here,  the  Christian  must  never  be  satisfied  with  his  progress 
in  life. 

In  calling  attention  to  the  necessity  and  the  possibility  of 
advancing  toward  the  ideal,  Paul  used  his  favorite  figure 
of  a  foot  race.  The  successful  runner  must  have  his  goal 
in  mind,  and  he  must  determine  that  nothing  is  to  be  allowed 
to  stand  in  the  way  of  his  reaching  his  goal.  The  Christian 
has  a  race  to  run.  Shall  he  be  less  careful?  He  needs  to 
fix  his  eyes  on  Jesus,  and  then  lay  aside  every  weight  that 
he  may  not  be  hindered  in  his  progress  in  Christian  living. 

Let  no  one  think  the  task  will  be  easy.  Many  times  will 
come  the  temptation  to  turn  aside  from  a  course  of  action 
that  is  plainly  demanded  by  faithfulness  to  Christ.  "I  would 
do  this,  but" — the  excuse  will  be  on  the  lips  of  the  Chris- 
tian, introducing  the  statement  of  the  reason  why  it  seems 
inconvenient  or  impossible  to  take  the  particular  step  in 
question.  There  is  no  room  for  a  but  if  one  would  follow 
Christ.  He  calls  for  unquestioning,  unqualified  obedience. 
Nothing  must  stand  in  the  way  of  following  him.  The 
instant  something  seems  to  hinder  a  Christian's  obedience, 
that  moment  he  is  in  frightful  peril.  The  something — what- 
ever it  is — must  be  sacrificed. 

It  is  a  proverb  in  the  printing  office  that  the  typesetter 
must  follov/  copy,  that  is,  he  is  expected  to  set  all  matter 
exactly  as  it  is  given  to  him  by  the  foreman.  "Follow  copy, 
even  if  it  goes  out  of  the  window,"  Is  a  time-honored  joke 
repeated  to  the  boy  when  he  begins  to  learn  the  printer's 
trade.  His  instructor  wishes  him  to  understand  that  obe- 
dience is  not  a  matter  for  discussion  or  quibbling;  obedience 
is  sinipl}'  obedience,  nothing  more  and  nothing  less.  So  man^' 
who  learned  to  give  such  obedience   in   the  home,   hesitate 

68 


THE  CHRISTIAN  GOAL  [VII-c] 

to  give  it  to  him  whom  they  call  Father!  God's  blessing 
waits  for  those  who  are  ready  to  obey  him  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, that  they  may  be  perfected. 

In  urging  the  Christian  to  be  perfected,  Paul's  desire  was 
that  he  be  coviplctcd.  As  he  became  acquainted  with  Christ, 
he  was  filled  with  admiration  of  his  well-rounded,  sym- 
metrical character  and  he  longed  to  have  each  of  his  friends 
grow  into  the  symmetry  and  beauty  of  Christ.  So  he  said 
to  them,  "Be  completed";  that  is,  "Do  not  be  content  with 
a  one-sided  life.  Be  many-sided,  ready  for  every  duty, 
earnest  in  every  act,  able  for  every  emergency." 

What  did  he  mean?  A  careful  look  at  Paul  himself  will 
show.  He  was  an  illustration  of  a  many-sided  man.  He 
hated  sin,  but  he  sympathized  with  the  sinner  and  longed 
to  help  him.  He  loved  life,  but  he  was  ready  to  yield  his 
life  in  God's  service.  He  loved  men,  and  he  could  accom- 
modate himself  to  the  rich  as  well  as  to  the  poor.  He  was 
all  things  to  all  men.  There  was  no  situation  to  which 
he  was  not  equal.  He  had  learned  in  whatsoever  state  he 
was  therewith  to  be  content.  Everyv/here  and  in  all  things 
he  knew  how  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound 
and   to    suffer   need. 

Paul  was  too  humble  to  dream  of  putting  himself  forward 
as  an  example  of  what  he  meant  by  becoming  complete.  He 
pointed  to  Christ  as  the  sole  example  of  completeness.  But 
he  had  been  so  long  looking  at  Christ  as  his  example  that 
he  was  becoming  conformed  to  him;  he  was  himself  becom- 
ing complete,   perfected. 

Pain  made  such  great  progress  in  his  aim  to  become  com- 
plete in  Christ  because  he  'would  not  allow  anything  in  his 
life  that  interfered  zvith  his  great  purpose.  The  supreme 
object  of  his  life  was  service  of  God  in  God's  way.  This 
way  he  took.  "This  one  thing  I  do,"  he  said ;  and  b}''  doing 
one  thing,  and  that  the  thing  God  wanted  him  to  do,  he  was 
a  successful  man,  in  the  highest,  richest  sense  of  the  word. 

The  matter  of  greatest  importance  for  every  Christian  Is 
to  find  the  way  in  which  God  wants  him  to  travel,  and  to 
keep  to  this  no  matter  what  may  be  the  temptations  to  leave 
it.  If  he  does  this  he  will  reach  the  Christian's  goal.  One 
who  served  God  for  more  than  half  a  century  on  the  mis- 
sion field  was,  on  the  occasion  of  his  first  furlough  in 
America,  invited  to  become  pastor  of  a  rich  city  church.    He 

69 


'•{VII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

declined  the  attractive  call,  because  he  felt  that  God  wanted 
him  to  go  back  to  the  foreign  field.  Later  he  was  urged  to 
become  head  of  his  denomination's  foreign  mission  board, 
but  his  insistent  "this  one  thing  I  do"  led  him  to  decline. 
Even  when  President  Arthur  named  him  United  States 
Minister  to  Persia,  he  would  not  swerve  from  the  path  of 
duty.  Specious  arguments  in  favor  of  accepting  each  of 
these  appointments  could  have  been  found  very  easily,  but 
he  had  the  sound  Christian  sense  not  to  look  for  them. 

Christians  who  would  learn  Paul's  secret  need  to  take  to 
heart  the  message  given  in  an  advertising  journal:  "Per- 
manent success  is  oftener  won  by  holding  on  than  by  a 
sudden  dash,  however  brilliant.  The  easily  discouraged,  who 
are  pushed  back  by  a  straw,  are  all  the  time  dropping  to  the 
rear  to  perish  or  to  be  carried  along  on  the  stretcher  of 
charity.  They  who  understand  and  practice  Abraham  Lin- 
coln's homely  maxim  of  'pegging  away'  have  achieved  solid 
success." 

The  Christian  who  is  really  successful  must  become  a  well- 
rounded  m.an  himself,  and  he  must  help  others  in  their  efforts 
to  become  complete  or  lead  them  to  desire  completeness. 
But  It  is  impossible  for  one  to  become  well  rounded  himself 
without  influencing  others  in  the  same  direction.  A  woman 
who  was  compelled  to  live  in  intimate  touch  with  a  number 
of  people  whose  habits  were  not  agreeable  to  her,  wrote,  as 
a  result  of  years  of  experience:  "I  know  of  nothing  that 
meets  the  case  so  well  as  to  set  about  the  earnest  cultivation 
of  those  graces  In  ourselves  which  we  would  like  to  see  in 
the  troublesome  sister  or  brother,  the  love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
suffering  goodness,  gentleness,  faith,  meekness,  and  temper- 
ance, which  alone  can  make  them  or  us  beloved  or  useful.  It 
is  a  good  thing  to  call  a  halt  at  regular  intervals  and  ask 
ourselves :  'Have  I  little  ways  that  are  likely  to  be  a  trial  to 
my  fellow  workers?  Am  I  given  to  bursts  of  temper  or 
other  forms  of  Impatience?  Am  I  cold  or  unaccommodat- 
ing? Am  I  selfish,  or  given  to  underhanded  ways  of 
accomplishing  my  purposes,  Vv^ays  not  very  wrong,  perhaps, 
but  not  exactly  straight?  Am  I  overbearing  or  inclined  to 
hold  grudges?  Am  I  always  willing  to  give  place  to  others, 
or  do  I  claim  and  take  the  foremost  place  for  myself,  and 
sulk  if  I  do  not  get  it?'"  These,  and  other  forms  of  self- 
interrogation   which    our   own    consciences    can    suggest,   to- 

70 


THE  CHRISTIAN  GOAL  [VII-c] 

gether  with  the  maintenance  of  a  constant  state  of  watch- 
fulness and  prayer,  will  help  us  in  our  effort  to  become  per- 
fect as  Christ  is  perfect,  and  to  take  others  with  us  on  the 
same  road. 

Be  perfected !  Be  completed !  This  is  God's  appeal  to 
the  Christian.  He  makes  it  because  he  wants  us  to  be  on 
intimate  terms  with  him.  He  grieves  when  anything  separ- 
ates us  from  him  or  dims  our  vision  of  him,  and  he  longs 
to  have  the  separation  removed.  When  the  mists  of  sum- 
mer or  the  frost  of  winter  or  the  accumulated  dust  of  weeks 
and  months  cloud  the  window  glass,  it  is  impossible  to  see 
the  outer  world  with  any  satisfaction.  When  the  glass  is 
cleansed  everj'thing  may  be  distinguished  clearly.  Why 
do  we  not  learn  a  similar  lesson  when  we  complain  that  we 
have  not  as  much  comfort  as  usual  in  prayer;  that  it  is 
difficult  to  feel  God's  nearness?  When  the  mists  and  frosts 
of  selfishness  and  the  grime  of  impure  and  unholy  thoughts 
cloud  the  heart's  vision,  it  is  impossible  to  see  God's  glory. 
And  if,  while  one  is  on  earth,  he  is  content  to  have  his  vision 
clouded  thus,  how  can  he  expect  to  see  God  throughout 
eternity?  The  promise  is  plain,  "Blessed  are  the  pure  in 
heart,  for  they  shall  see  God."  Then  why  be  content  with 
anything  short  of  absolute  purity? 

Of  course  there  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  those  whom 
God  calls  to  be  completed.  But  for  those  who  speak  the 
word  of  readiness  to  follow  where  God  shows  the  way,  God 
will  sweep  aside  all  hindrances,  helping  them  onward  and 
upward,  till  they  all  "attain  unto  the  unity  of  the  faith  and 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  full-grown  man, 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ." 

Our  heavenly  Father,  there  is  so  much  that  is  unlovely 
in  our  lives  that  zve  would  be  afraid  to  come  to  thee  if  we 
were  not  sure  of  thy  welcome.  Search  our  hearts  and  reveal 
every  wicked  way  in  us.  Then  show  us  what  we  may  he 
if  we  permit  thy  Spirit  to  transform  us.  Take  away  the 
mists  that  hide  thee  from  us.  Satisfy  us  every  day  with  the 
knowledge  that  thou  art  dwelling  within  us.  By  our  faith- 
fulness, and  courtesy,  and  gentleness,  and  love  for  those  who 
are  about  us,  may  we  prove  that  we  are  dwelling  zuith  thee. 
Thus  wilt  thou  use  us  in  revealing  thee  to  those  to  whom 
thou  art  as  yet  unknown.    For  the  sake  of  thy  Son.    Amen, 

71 


[VII-s]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND   STUDY 

What  would  j^ou  say  is  the  secret  of  Christian  progress? 

How  much  is  it  worth  while  to  sacrifice  in  the  effort  to 
achieve  a  well-rounded  character? 

What  is  your  conception  of  a  full-grown  man? 

God's  promises  have  been  called  an  incitement  to  holiness. 
Are  they?     Why? 


72 


CHAPTER  VIII 

One  With  Christ 

DAILY  READINGS 

Eighth  Week,  First  Day 

I  have  been  crucified  with  Christ;  and  it  is  no  longer  I 
that  Hve,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me:  and  that  life  which  I 
now  Hve  in  the  flesh  I  Hve  in  faith,  the  faith  which  is  in 
the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  up  for 
me. — Gal.  2:  20. 

The  little  girl  was  just  alive,  and  that  was  all.  The  physi- 
cian said  that  unless  new  blood  could  be  infused  into  her 
veins  she  must  die.  The  mother  bared  her  arm  that  the 
physician  might  open  the  artery  and  cause  the  rich  blood  to 
flow  from  her  body  into  that  of  the  child.  And  the  child 
lived.  When  she  grew  strong  once  more  she  was  told  of 
the  operation.  From  that  day  she  felt  that  her  mother's  life 
had  become  hers ;  that  she  belonged  to  her  mother  in  a  new, 
real  sense. 

How  far  is  this  an  illustration  of  Christ's  victhod  of  giv- 
ing new  life  to  his  people? 

Eighth  Week,  Second  Day 

If  then  ye  were  raised  together  with  Christ,  seek  the 
things  that  are  above,  where  Christ  is,  seated  on  the  right 
hand  of  God.  Set  your  mind  on  the  things  that  are 
above,  not  on  the  things  that  are  upon  the  earth.  For 
ye  died,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. — Col. 
3:  1-3. 

Forty  years  ago  a  young  man  in  England  thought  of 
nothing  but  going  into  his  father's  brewery  business.  There 
came  a  day  when  a  friend  asked  him  to  read  the  third  chapter 

7Z 


rvIII-3]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

of  John.  Carelessly  he  made  the  promise  and  carelessly  he 
began  to  read.  But  carelessness  was  suddenly  ended  as  he 
saw  his  need  of  Christ.  Then  he  resigned  his  inheritance, 
and,  penniless,  he  went  out  into  the  world  to  fight  evil  in 
his  Master's  name. 

A  young  man  thought  he  was  thoroughly  enjoying  life. 
His  daily  program  was  like  that  of  many  of  his  fellows — 
he  was  occupied  from  morning  until  night  with  work  that 
appealed  to  him  and  pleasures  with  which  no  one  could  find 
fault.  But  he  did  not  realize  that  he  was  always  thinking 
of  himself.  Then  came  a  change.  "God  spoke  to  me,"  he 
said,  in  teUing  of  his  change.  "He  told  me  he  wanted  me 
to  give  him  my  time.  Then  that  seemed  to  me  the  only 
thing  worth  while  in  life.  Though  years  have  passed,  I 
have  never  changed  my  mind." 

What  would  men  think  of  one  who  hopes  some  day  to  be 
President  of  the  United  States,  yet  today  is  content  to  keep 
a  saloon f  What  shall  be  said  of  one  who  looks  forward  to 
immortality,  yet  who  today  wherever  he  goes  makes  no  effort 
to   be  like  Christ? 

Eighth  Week,  Third  Day 

Henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me;  for  I  bear  branded 
on  my  body  the  marks  of  Jesus. — Gal.  6:  17. 

Always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  Jesus, 
that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  may  be  manifested  in  our  body. 
— II  Cor.  4:  10. 

In  Paul's  day  slavery  was  universal,  and  slaves  often 
secured  their  freedom  by  gift  or  purchase.  But  since  a  man 
who  was  known  to  have  been  a  slave  was  never  safe  from 
imprisonment  as  a  runaway  unless  there  was  some  mark  to 
indicate  freedom,  it  became  a  custom  in  some  places  to  take  a 
freed  slave  to  the  temple  that  he  might  be  branded  with  the 
seal  of  one  of  the  heathen  gods.  Thenceforth  the  slave  was 
the  property  of  that  god,  and  no  one  could  sell  him  again 
into  slavery.  So  Paul  said,  "Let  no  man  trouble  me,  for  I 
bear  branded  in  my  body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

What  did  Paul  mean  by  the  marks  branded  on  his  body? 
Does  a  reading  of  II  Cor.  11:  23-27  help  you  to  answer? 

Have  zue  a  right  to  claim  that  marks  received  in  the  service 
of  Jesus  are  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus? 

74 


ONE  WITH  CHRIST  [VIII-43 

Why  was  Paul  justified  in  being  proud  of  his  marks? 
What  is  your  opinion  of  a  Christian  who  is  ashamed  of 
such  marks? 

Eighth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

As  therefore  you  have  received  the  Christ,  even  Jesus  our 
Lord,  live  and  act  in  vital  union  with  Hirn. — Col.  2 :  6  (Wey- 
mouth). 

Much  has  been  said  of  the  Christian's  privilege  to  imitate 
Christ,  but  it  has  been  pointed  out  that  what  is  needed  is 
not  so  much  imitation  as  appropriation.  What  is  the  dis- 
tinction? Do  you  agree?  Try  appropriation,  and  see.  The 
next  time  you  are  in  trouble,  and  you  feel  that  you  must  give 
up  the  battle  you  have  been  fighting,  suppose  you  remember 
Christ's  bearing  when  he  v/as  surrounded  by  foes ;  then 
breathe  a  prayer,  "Thy  courage,  Lord."  Do  not  ask  for  cour- 
age like  his,  but  the  courage  which  helped  him.  See  if  the 
realization  of  a  power  such  as  you  have  never  known  doesn't 
come  to  you.  When  you  are  tempted  to  sin ;  when  impure 
desires  seek  an  entrance  to  your  heart  and  unholy  ambitions 
fight  for  the  possession  of  your  soul,  look  up,  and  pray,  "Thy 
purity,  Lord,"  and  the  temptation  will  be  conquered  for  that 
time. 

Can  we  hope  to  appropriate  Christ  in  this  way  without 
shaping  our  daily  Hves  according  to  his  standards?  What 
these  standards  are  we  know,  not  merely  from  his  words 
but  from  his  acts.  Then  sometimes  let  us  think  of  his  life 
on  earth,  asking  ourselves  such  questions  as  these:  How  did 
he  treat  his  parents?  How  did  he  act  toward  his  teachers? 
What  was  his  habit  about  attending  religious  service?  What 
was  his  conduct  in  the  house  of  God?  What  were  his  habits 
of  prayer?  What  a  revelation  would  be  worked  in  our  lives 
if  we  should  reverently  make  these  inquiries  and  obediently 
ask  him  to  guide  our  feet,  our  hands,  our  voices  in  his  way. 

Eighth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  through  faith. — 

Eph.  3:    17. 

What  did  Christ  mean  when  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "Abide 

75 


[VIII-6]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

in  me"?  (John  15:  4).  How  fully  do  Christians  do  as  he 
asks?  Find  a  clause  in  Mark  10:  i  which  indicates  how  we 
are  likely  to  come  to  him.  Then  note  the  clause  which  tells 
how  Christ  treats  those  who  come  to  him  off  and  on.  A 
student  who  attends  one  lecture  in  five  given  in  a  course 
gains  some  benefit,  but  the  real  reward  is  likely  to  go  to  a 
student  who  never  wishes  to  miss  a  lecture.  If  it  is  worth 
while  to  go  to  Christ  at  all,  why  is  it  not  far  better  to  be 
with  him  all  the  time?  The  opportunity  for  such  constant 
intercourse  is  given  to  us.  What  is  Christ's  promise  to  those 
who  abide  in  him?  Read  John  15:  1-4  once  more.  In  the 
light  of  that  promise  Paul  was  justified  in  making  the  petition 
in  Ephesians  which  is  this  day's  Bible  reading.  Why  was  he 
not  content  to  make  the  petition  that  Christ  may  at  times  be 
a  visitor  in  the  heart?  What  is  attractive  in  the  idea  that 
he  will  make  his  home  in  the  heart?  What  should  we  do 
to  make  him  feel  at  home  in  our  hearts?  What  is  the  impli- 
cation of  the  fact  that  the  same  Greek  word  is  translated 
dwell  in  Ephesians  3:  17  and  Colossians  2:9?  What  should 
it  mean  that  Christ  is  to  dwell  in  us  in  the  same  sense  that 
God  dwells  in  Christ?     Now  read  John  14:  23. 

Eighth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ. — Phil,  i:  21. 

Do  you  sympathize  with  the  man  who  said,  "If  I  could 
be  such  a  Christian  as  Paul  was,  it  would  be  worth  while 
to  put  aside  the  things  that  keep  me  from  being  a  Christian"? 
Why  cannot  anybody  be  as  earnest  as  Paul  was?  Paul  tells 
the  secret  of  his  progress :  "To  me  to  live  is  Christ."  But 
did  he  learn  this  secret  all  at  once?  Recall  passages  which 
tell  of  Paul's  struggles  with  temptation.  How  would  it  help 
him  in  his  struggle  with  temptation  to  remind  himself  that 
Christ  was  to  be  his  life — that  he  and  Christ  were  to  be 
always  together?  Together  with  him  (Col.  2:  13)  was  his 
cry.  What  does  it  m.ean  to  you  that  you  are  invited  to  the 
same   intimacy  with   the   Lord? 

Eighth  Week,  Seventh  Day- 
Have  this  mind  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus: 
who,  existing  in  the  form  of  God,  counted  not  the  being 

76 


ONE  WITH  CHRIST  [VIII-7] 

on  an  equality  with  God  a  thing  to  be  grasped,  bizt 
emptied  himself,  taking  the  form  of  a  servant,  iDcing 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men;  and  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  becoming  obedient  even 
unto  death,  yea,  trie  death  of  the  cross.  Wherefore  also 
God  highly  exalted  him,  and  gave  unto  him  the  name 
which  is  above  every  name;  tliat  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven  and  things 
on  earth  and  things  under  the  earth,  and  that  every 
tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father. — Phil.  2:  5-1 1. 

Some  years  ago  residents  of  Philadelphia  expressed  sur- 
prise when  workmen  began  to  resurface  every  square  inch 
of  stone  in  the  walls  of  a  large  office  building.  "Why  do 
they  go  to  all  that  expense?"  the  question  was  asked. 
"Surely  the  building  is  much  less  grimy  than  others  near 
by."  But  when  the  work  was  completed  it  was  agreed  that, 
after  all,  the  expense  was  justified;  the  appearance  of  the 
building  was  wonderfully  improved.  Then  it  was  learned 
that  the  owners  had  thought,  with  others,  that  the  building 
was  well  enough  as  it  was  till  a  change  in  tenants  made 
necessary  the  cutting  of  a  new  name  in  the  stone  above  the 
main  door.  The  dazzling  brightness  of  the  new  surface 
exposed  made  the  rest  of  the  building  look  so  dingy  that  it 
was  at  once  decided  to  freshen  the  entire  structure.  Is  it 
not  likely  to  be  just  so  when  we  compare  our  lives  with 
those  of  other  men  and  women  about  us?  "I  am  as  good 
as  the  rest  of  them,"  we  are  tempted  to  say.  But  when  we 
compare  ourselves  with  the  perfect  Man,  Christ  Jesus,  what 
disgust  and  loathing  for  ourselves  is  the  result!  Then,  if 
we  are  honest,  we  can  be  satisfied  only  with  daily,  hourly 
struggle  to  make  our  lives  like  his,  to  have  his  mind,  to  be 
like  him. 

How  would  the  first  three  words  of  Hebrews  12:  2  do  for 
the  watchword  of  the  Christian  who  wants  to  have  in  him 
the  mind  of  Christ f 

Philippians  2:  5-11  is  one  of  the  most  tremendous  passages 
in  the  Bible.  Learn  it,  then  repeat  it  frequently.  Think  the 
words  over  when  temptation  comes  or  when  discouragement 
darkens  the  day.  Think  of  them  when  you  are  joyful.  Re- 
peat them  aloud  as  you  walk  in  the  fields  or  in  the  woods. 
Say    them   over   when   you    lie   awake   at   night.     Your   life 

77 


[VIII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

will  be  enriched,  for  they  will  bring  you  into  new  touch  with 
Christ. 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Christ  is  born  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  believe  in  him  and 
yield  themselves  to  him,  at  the  very  moment  they  ask  him  to 
become  their  Lord.  And  he  promises  to  dwell  in  their  hearts 
forever. 

There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  Hfe  of  everyone  v^rho  asks 
Christ  to  be  born  in  his  heart.  *No  longer  need  the  days  be 
dreary  rounds  of  uncongenial  employment;  everything  may 
be  transformed  because  Christ's  presence  gives  a  nev^r  ideal 
of  hfe. 

Every  man  has  some  ideal.  There  are  some  who  feel  that 
they  are  to  secure  as  much  from  the  world  as  possible,  at 
all  cost  to  others;  if  they  should  state  their  ideal,  they  could 
honestly  do  no  more  than  say,  "For  to  me  to  live  is  self." 
But  the  ideal  of  those  who  are  a  real  power  in  the  world  is 
altogether  different.  Resolutely  trampling  upon  self,  they 
are  continually  thinking  of  the  needs  and  desires  of  other 
people,  seeking  to  be  true  neighbors  to  them  in  the  name  of 
Christ. 

When  Christ  is  born  in  us  all  partial  or  unworthy  ideals 
are  forgotten.  At  first  Paul  had  no  higher  ideal  than  to  keep 
the  letter  of  the  Jewish  law,  and  to  protect  the  law  by 
uprooting  the  heresy  of  Christ.  Only  when  Christ  appeared 
to  him  and  proved  to  him  that  the  whole  course  of  his  life 
was  wrong  did  he  see  the  necessity  of  changing  his  ideals. 
Christ  shov/ed  him  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God;  that  his  teach- 
ing is  not  designed  to  overthrow  the  law,  but  to  fulfill  it,  and 
that  to  attempt  to  keep  the  law  is  only  to  die.  Knowing 
these  things,  there  was  just  one  thing  for  Paul  to  do:  make 
Christ  the  Lord  of  his  life. 

When  Christ  is  born  in  us  we  learn  that  we  are  asked  to 
give  up  no  worthy  ideals.  Paul  found  that  he  could  still 
revere  the  law  of  Israel  as  he  followed  the  Fulfiller  of  the 
law.  He  could  still  be  zealous  for  the  protection  of  that 
law  from  the  assaults  of  all  its  enemies.  But  there  was  one 
great  difference  as  he  retained  these  ideals :  Christ  became 
the  chief  figure  in  everything.  Before,  Paul  himself  had 
been  the  central  figure  in  his  acts  and  purposes.     At  last  he 

78 


ONE  WITH  CHRIST  [VIII-c] 

understood  the  glad  fact  that  his  Hfe  had  been  surely 
changed,  and  he  said,  "It  is  no  longer  I  that  live,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me." 

Would  you  live  so  near  to  Christ  that  you,  too,  can  say, 
"For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ"?  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons. The  gifts  and  graces  he  gives  to  one  Christian  he  will 
give  to  another;  and  there  is  no  limit  to  his  giving.  "The 
same  Lord  is  Lord  of  all,  and  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon 
him"  (Rom.  lo:  12).  This  is  not  the  mere  advertising 
phrase  of  an  unscrupulous  merchant ;  it  is  the  gracious 
promise  of  the  unchanging  God,  who  says,  "Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away" 
(Matt.  24:  35). 

Now  if  Christ  is  to  live  in  us  as  he  did  in  Paul,  there 
must  be  room  for  him.  Two  presidents  cannot  be  at  the  head 
of  the  government  at  the  same  time.  Two  families  whose 
tastes  and  interests  are  conflicting  cannot  live  peaceably  in 
the  same  house.  No  more  can  Christ  find  room  in  the  heart 
defiled  by  sin ;  Christ  and  sin  cannot  dwell  together.  We 
cannot  make  a  compromise,  reserving  part  of  the  heart  for 
sin  and  asking  Christ  to  take  the  rest.  He  asks  for  permis- 
sion to  enter  the  heart,  to  take  complete  possession  of  it,  and 
when  this  permission  is  given  he  will  teach  us  of  himself  so 
that  we,  too,  can  say  with  truth,  "To  me  to  live  is  Christ." 

There  is  a  story  told  of  a  somewhat  eccentric  preacher 
who  was  driving  along  a  country  road,  when  he  was  attracted 
by  the  appearance  of  a  farmhouse.  Leaving  his  carriage  he 
went  to  the  door.  A  middle  aged  woman  answered  the  sum- 
mons, and  he  asked  v.'ithout  hesitation,  "Madam,  does  Jesus 
Christ  live  here?"  The  woman  stared,  but  though  he  repeated 
his  inquiry  he  received  no  answer;  and  when  he  had  gone 
she  ran  out  to  where  her  husband  was  chopping  wood,  and 
told  him  of  her  caller.  "Didn't  you  tell  him  we  belonged  to 
the  Church?"  demanded  the  old  man.  The  wife  shook  her 
head.  "Didn't  you  tell  him  we  give  money  every  Sunday?'^ 
Again  she  shook  her  head.  " 'Twasn't  anything  like  that 
he  wanted  to  know,  John.  He  wanted  to  know  if  Jesus 
Christ  lives   here— that's   different." 

This  is  what  God  tells  us  is  the  ideal.  He  wants  us 
so  completely  to  identify  ourselves,  our  thoughts,  our  inter- 
ests, with  Christ  and  his  thoughts  and  ideals  and  interests, 
that  each  of  us  may  say  with  Paul,  "To  me  to  live  is  Christ.'* 

79 


[VIII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

Though  this  ideal  is  possible  for  every  Christian,  it  does 
not  become  actual  for  many  Christians.  We  do  not  permit 
Christ  to  live  in  us.  We  want  to  mix  our  life  and  his,  our 
ways  and  his,  our  plans  and  his ;  we  want  to  take  his  views 
of  life  when  these  are  pleasing  to  us,  and  to  adopt  our  own 
views  when  these  please  us  better. 

The  man  who  is  clinging  to  definite  wrong  in  his  life 
cannot  say,  "To  me  to  live  is  Christ."  If  we  desire  Christ 
in  us  so  completely  that  we  can  truly  use  Paul's  words  as 
our  own,  we  must  tell  him  of  our  desire  and  declare  our  pur- 
pose to  strive  to  keep  down  all  that  offends  him. 

Those  whose  lives  are  hid  with  Christ,  who  can  say  with 
Paul,  "For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  know  the  secret  of  happi- 
ness. Misfortunes  and  disappointments  will  continue  to 
come  to  us,  but  they  no  longer  will  have  their  old  power  to 
distract  and  annoy  us.  Paul  found  it  so.  Year  after  year 
he  became,  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  poorer  and  more 
wretched,  but  in  his  ov/n  eyes  he  was  ever  happier  because 
he  endured  as  seeing  Christ  who  was  Invisible  to  his  tor- 
mentors. 

The  man  who  understands  what  Paul  meant  has  a  wonder- 
ful power  to  help  others.  An  American  editor,  traveling  in 
France,  spoke  one  Sunday  in  the  pulpit  of  Charles  Wagner. 
After  the  service  a  man  said  to  him,  "I  came  to  hear  Mr. 
Wagner,  and  I  was  disappointed  when  you  got  up  to  speak. 
But  I  shall  always  be  glad  I  heard  you.  I  remember  only 
one  thing  you  said,  but  this  I  shall  never  forget.  I  refer  to 
your  definition  of  religion ;  you  said,  'To  me  religion  means 
just  one  thing:  Jesus  and  I  are  friends.'" 

If  Christ  is  to  be  our  friend,  if  he  is  to  live  in  us,  we  must 
become  acquainted  with  him.  One  visited  a  house  where 
two  old  people  had  lived  for  years.  They  were  sisters,  but 
their  interests  were  not  the  same.  Gradually  they  came  to 
live  apart,  though  in  the  same  house.  From  day  to  day  they 
met  without  a  greeting.  At  night  they  separated  without 
a  word.  They  did  not  know  one  another's  thoughts  or  plans ; 
they  were  as  strangers.  Jesus  can  never  live  with  us  on 
any  such  terms  as  these.  We  must  grow  to  know  him,  for 
he  is  to  be  our  life.  And  how  can  he  be  our  life  unless  we 
know  how  he  thinks  and  acts,  and  what  he  wants  us  to  do 
for  him?  We  must  learn  of  him,  study  his  life,  talk  to 
him,  take  him  as  our  intimate  friend. 

80 


ONE  WITH  CHRIST  [VIII-£,] 

A  traveler  tells  of  his  ride  through  a  lonely  wood  in  a 
Southern  State,  in  the  course  of  which  he  came  to  the  cabin 
of  a  negro  woman.  He  talked  with  her  a  few  moments. 
As  he  was  about  to  go,  he  said,  "Are  you  living  here  all 
alone?"  With  a  bright  smile  came  the  answer,  "Just  me  and 
Jesus !"  The  silent  forest  was  to  her  a  paradise,  for  she 
had  wonderful  company.  She  would  have  been  able  to 
appreciate  the  answer  made  by  a  busy  woman  to  one  who 
asked  her  if  she  knew  the  Lord  Jesus.  "Oh,  yes!  I  walk 
with  Jesus,  I  eat  with  Jesus,  I  drink  with  Jesus."  That  was 
her  simple  way  of  saying  that  Jesus  was  her  companion,  her 
intimate  friend. 

There  is  a  temptation  that  is  likely  to  come  to  those  who 
are  living  thus  close  to  Christ.  When  the  day  is  to  be  more 
than  usually  full  of  service  for  other  people,  when  the  home 
cares  are  weighty,  and  the  business  perplexities  are  severe, 
it  is  easy  to  feel  that  there  is  no  time  for  the  morning  season 
of  Bible  reading  and  prayer,  and  that  we  can  safely  let 
this  go. 

Yet  is  it  not  true  that  the  days  when  we  have  had  most 
satisfying  fellowship  with  Christ  have  been  those  days  when 
we  have  had  a  little  time  apart  with  him,  reading  his  word, 
speaking  to  him,  and  hearing  him  speak  to  usf  And  what 
of  the  days  when  the  morning  reading  and  prayer  have  been 
omitted  f 

We  thank  thee,  Lord  Jesus,  for  the  blessings  that  come  to 
us  through  thy  word.  May  the  remembrance  of  Paul's 
readiness  to  serve  strengthen  its  so  that,  as  we  hear  thy  call, 
"Follow  me,"  we  may  not  in  self  confidence  say,  "Lord,  I  will 
follozv  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest,"  only  to  fall  by  the 
zvayside,  but,  relying  on  thee,  may  be  obedient  to  the  vision 
of  duty  as  thou  dost  reveal  it  to  us.  Show  us  how  to  grow 
in  grace — by  resisting  sin,  by  abiding  in  thee,  and  by  pointing 
others  to  thee.    Amen. 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

How  can   Christ  make  his  home  in  the  heart  of   his   fol- 
lower? 

8t 


[VIII-sJ  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

What  will  be  the  effect  of  Christ's  dwelling  in  a  man's 
heart:  on  the  man  himself;  on  those  who  associate  with  him? 

How  does  Christ  make  hard  things  easier? 

What  is  the  real  test  of  the  genuineness  of  the  Christian's 
profession? 

Think  of  the  friends  and  acquaintances  who  attract  you 
most.  What  is  it  in  them  that  attracts  you?  Do  you  know 
the  secret  of  this  attraction? 


82 


CHAPTER   IX 

The  Law  of  Love 

DAILY  READINGS 

Ninth  Week,  First  Day 

Now  we  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities 
of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves.  Let  each  one 
of  us  please  his  neighbor  for  that  which  is  good,  unto 
edifying. — Rom.  15:  i,  2. 

Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of 
Christ.— Gal.  6:  2. 

Who  are  the  strong?  Has  anyone  a  right  to  excuse  him- 
self from  the  operation  of  this  law  of  love  because  he  thinks 
he  is  so  weak?  Who  wants  to  own  himself  a  weakling? 
Yet.  might  not  one  who  is  always  leaning  on  others  just  as 
well  make  such  a  confession?  If  there  is  love  in  the  heart 
the  way  will  be  found  by  everyone,  anyone,  no  matter  what 
his  circumstances,  to  pass  on  to  others  God's  good  gifts. 
One  would  have  thought  a  little  crippled  girl,  who  lived  in 
a  poor  tenement  room,  could  do  nothing.  But  one  day  a 
visitor  came  to  her  bedside.  "Would  you  like  to  hear  me 
sing?"  "Oh  yes!"  the  cripple  said,  "but,  first,  won't  you  open 
the  door  a  crack?  There's  lots  of  folks  in  the  house  who'd 
like  to  hear  the  singing.  I'd  feel  selfish  if  I  kept  it  all  to 
myself." 

What  is  the  world's  opinion  of  the  one  who  is  always  tak- 
ing in  and  never  giving  out?  What  is  the  sneering  but 
expressive  name  given  to  such  an  individual? 

Who  do  most  for  the  world's  happiness — the  few  who  give 
millions  to  endow  hospitals  and  colleges,  or  the  millions  in 
humble  life  who  perforin  little  deeds  of  helpfulness? 

Ninth  Week,  Second  Day 

Owe  no  man  anything,  save  to  love  one  another:  for 

83 


[IX-3]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

he  that  loveth  his  neighbor  hath  fulfilled  the  law.  For 
this,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  Thou  shalt  not 
kill,  Thou  shalt  not  steal,  Thou  shalt  not  covet,  and  if 
there  be  any  other  commandment,  it  is  summed  up  in 
this  word,  namely.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self. Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor:  love  therefore 
is  the  fulfilment  of  the  law. — Rom.  13:  8-10. 

"I  have  no  debts.  I  pay  my  bills  as  I  go  along.  No  one 
has  any  claim  on  me."  It  is  a  common  thing  to  hear  such 
a  statement.  But  can  anyone  say  this  with  truth?  Of 
course  there  are  those  who  have  no  financial  obligations. 
But  how  about  the  debt  to  God?  How  about  the  obligation 
of  love  and  service  to  family  and  friends?  How  about  "Love 
one  another  as  I  have  loved  you"  ?  Not  only  are  we  told  that 
we  owe  to  those  about  us  a  debt  of  love,  but  the  measure  of 
that  debt  is  revealed  to  us  :  "Love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself" 
is  the  definite  injunction.  What  does  regard  for  our  own 
welfare  make  us  desire  for  ourselves?  Very  well,  let  us 
do  that  for  our  neighbor.  Who  is  our  neighbor?  Can  we 
ask  that  question  in  the  light  of  Luke  10:  25-37? 

Ninth  Week,  Third  Day 

Nay,  already  it  is  altogether  a  defect  in  you,  that  ye 
have  lawsuits  one  with  another.  Why  not  rather  take 
wrong?  why  not  rather  be  defrauded?  Nay,  but  ye  your- 
selves do  wrong,  and  defraud,  and  that  your  brethren. — 
I  Cor.  6:  7,  8. 

When  one  is  unjustly  attacked,  why  is  it  a  temptation  to 
give  the  attacking  party  "a  taste  of  his  own  medicine?"  But 
note  the  way  taken  by  a  pastor  who  lived  in  a  town  where, 
unfortunately,  the  churches  were  not  always  on  the  best 
of  terms.  As  the  culmination  of  a  long  series  of  petty  slights 
and  insinuations,  the  pastor  of  one  church  preached  a  bitter 
sermon  denouncing  various  doctrines  and  customs  of  the 
church  of  which  the  man  in  question  was  pastor.  At  first 
the  latter  was  incensed.  He  spent  much  time  in  the  effort  to 
devise  a  cutting  rejoinder.  But,  fortunately,  he  prayed  for 
guidance.  Then  he  preached  a  sermon  devoted  to  setting 
forth  the  good  points  of  the  church  to  which  the  attacking 
minister  belonged.     Lessons   were  drawn   from  the  lives   of 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE  [IX-4] 

men  of  might  who  had  been  prominent  in  the  councils  of 
the  denomination.  Not  one  reference  was  made  to  the  ser- 
mon of  detraction  and  criticism.  What  do  you  think  would 
be  the  effect  of  such  a  course?  Why  is  not  a  method  like 
this  used  oftener?  Why  is  the  kind  course  the  wiser 
course?  Have  you  an  opportunity  to  test  the  matter  with 
one  who  is  at  swords'  points  with  you  just  now? 

Ninth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

Doing  nothing  through  faction  or  through  vainglory, 
but  in  lowliness  of  mind  each  counting  other  better  than 
himself;  not  looking  each  of  you  to  his  own  things,  but 
each  of  you  also  to  the  things  of  others. — Phil.  2:  3,  4. 

A  minister  in  a  small  town  has  told  how,  when  the  fire 
bell  rang,  he  saw  a  man  running  frantically  up  the  hill  toward 
the  fire.  Soon  the  man  turned  and  walked  leisurely  back. 
"Where  is  the  fire?"  the  minister  asked.  "I  really  don't 
know,"  was  the  reply.  "I  got  near  enough  to  see  that  it 
was  not  our  house,  and  I  stopped  and  turned  back."  But 
in  a  European  paper  appeared  a  note  about  a  man  in  a 
Danish  village  who  went  with  others  to  the  help  of  a  family 
whose  house  was  burning.  While  he  was  at  work  the  mes- 
sage was  brought  that  his  own  house  was  in  flames.  "Let 
it  burn,"  he  said;  "there  is  a  sick  man  in  this  house  and  I 
am  not  going  to  leave  him  to  die  while  I  save  my  furniture." 
It  is  easy  to  decide  which  of  these  incidents  is  more  pleas- 
ing. But  which  is  more  natural?  Why?  Why  is  it  so  much 
easier  to  heed  the  advice  of  the  world,  "Look  out  for  your- 
self," than  to  listen  to  the  appeal  of  Christ,  "Look  out  for 
the  other  fellow"? 

Ninth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Let  us  not  therefore  judge  one  another  any  more:  but 
judge  ye  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a  stumblingblock  in 
his  brother's  way,  or  an  occasion  of  falling. — Rom.  14:  13. 

After  the  death  of  a  man  in  an  Illinois  town  there  were 
many  eulogies  of  his  life,  but  perhaps  the  most  effective 
word  was  that  of  an  observer  who  said,  "For  years  it  was 
his  habit,  as  he  walked  the  streets,  to  take  every  banana  peel 

85 


[IX-6]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

or  stone  or  fallen  branch  from  the  sidewalk,  and  to  make 
the  path  of  others  as  safe  as  possible  in  every  waj'  he  could." 
In  the  same  town  lived  a  man  who  said  once,  "I  guess  I  can 
safely  leave  this  little  patch  of  ice  on  my  walk ;  everybody 
will  pick  his  steps  carefully  on  a  day  like  this," 

It  is  easy  to  see  the  need  of  taking  physical  difficulties  out 
of  the  way  of  others.  If  we  were  as  careful  to  remove  diffi- 
culties from  the  way  of  their  progress  toward  God,  what 
change  would  we  have  to  make  in  our  lives? 

Ninth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

Put  on  therefore,  as  God's  elect,  holy  and  beloved,  a 
heart  of  compassion,  kindness,  lowliness,  meekness,  long- 
suffering;  forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  each 
other,  if  any  man  have  a  complaint  against  any;  even  as 
the  Lord  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye:  and  above  all  these 
put  on  love,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness.  And  let 
the  peace  of  Christ  rule  in  your  hearts,  to  the  which  also 
ye  were  called  in  one  body;  and  be  ye  thankful. — Col.  3: 
12-15. 

What  is  meant  by  the  statement  that  the  Christian  is  to  be 
"in  the  world,  but  not  of  it"?  Paul  speaks  of  the  Chris- 
tian's attitude  to  the  world  as  the  putting  off  of  old  gar- 
ments for  new  apparel.  These  garments  he  names :  com- 
passion— the  Christian  is  to  be  sympathetic  with  others; 
kindness — he  needs  to  have  that  feeling  toward  another  that 
is  fitting  in  those  who  are  kin;  humility — it  is  necessary  not 
only  that  we  keep  free  from  thinking  of  ourselves  more 
highly  than  we  ought  to  think,  but  also  that  we  appreciate 
the  good  qualities  of  others ;  forbearance  and  forgiveness — 
the  habit  of  mind  that  will  enable  one  to  say,  as  did  Edward 
Everett  Hale  on  his  eightieth  birthday,  "I  never  had  but 
one  enemy,  and  last  week,  when  I  was  trying  to  think  of 
his  name,   I   found   I  had   forgotten  who  he   was." 

Are  these  qualities  named  by  Paul  manly  qualities?     Why? 

Why  is  the  Christian  urged  to  forgive  others  as  the  Lord 
forgives  him?  How  completely  does  God  forgive?  See 
Psalm   103. 

Ninth  Week,  Seventh  Day 
If  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  but 
86 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE  [IX-7] 

have  not  love,  I  am  become  sounding  brass,  or  a  clang- 
ing cymbal.  And  if  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and 
know  all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge;  and  if  I  have  all 
faith,  so  as  to  remove  mountains,  but  have  not  love,  I 
am  nothing.  And  if  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the 
poor,  and  if  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  but  have  not 
love,  it  profiteth  me  nothing.  Love  suffereth  long,  and 
is  kind;  love  envieth  not;  love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not 
puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not 
its  own,  is  not  provoked,  taketh  not  account  of  evil; 
rejoiceth  not  in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth  with  the 
truth;  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all 
things,  endureth  all  things.  Love  never  faileth:  but 
whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  be  done  av/ay; 
whether  there  be  tongues,  they  shall  cease;  whether  there 
be  knowledge,  it  shall  be  done  away.  For  we  know  in 
part,  and  we  prophesy  in  part;  but  when  that  which  is 
perfect  is  come,  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away. 
When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  felt  as  a  child, 
I  thought  as  a  child:  now  that  I  am  become  a  man,  I 
have  put  away  childish  things.  For  now  we  see  in  a 
mirror,  darkly;  but  then  face  to  face:  now  I  know  in 
part;  but  then  shall  I  know  fully  even  as  also  I  was  fully 
known.  But  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love,  these  three; 
and  the  greatest  of  these  is  love. — I  Cor.  ch.  13. 

Is  it  a  true  statement  that  the  love  that  is  kind,  envies 
not,  and  is  humble,  will  win  its  way  through  doors  that  are 
closed  to  those  who  are  self-assertive  and  overbearing?  Do 
you  know  one  who  is  perfectly  described  by  these  words, 
"thinketh  no  evil"?  Do  you  know  another  who  habitually 
puts  the  worst  construction  on  the  actions  of  all  his  ac- 
quaintances? No  need  to  ask  which  of  the  two  wins  friends 
and  holds  them  with  a  grip  of  steel.  Then  why  are  we  so 
slow  to  choose  the  way  that  wins  friends?  Why  are  people 
more  fond  of  quoting  these  words  to  others  than  of  applying 
them  to  themselves?  Is  it  because  we  are  not  fond  of  vigor- 
ous heart  searching?  They  cut  like  a  surgeon's  knife.  How 
do  we  bear  the  test?  Are  we  guilty  of  self  seeking?  Do 
we  envy  or  grieve  at  the  good  of  others?  Do  we  rejoice 
as  we  see  the  good  things  that  come  into  the  lives  of  our 
acquaintances?  The  mirror  is  held  up  to  us  not  that  we  may 
be  discouraged  as  we  see  how  far  short  we  come,  but  that, 
seeing  our  lack,  we  may  come  in  humility  to  Him  who  will 
teach  us  how  to  love  truly. 

87 


[IX-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

How  fully  did  Paul  show  the  characteristics  of  the  love 
of  which  he  wrote?  Think  of  some  of  the  trying  circum- 
stances in  which  he  was  placed.  How  did  he  act?  How 
would  you  be  tempted  to  act  under  similar  conditions? 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

One  who  has  described  the  conditions  of  life  in  Germany 
and  France  during  the  Middle  Ages  says  that  men  had  no 
sense  of  obligation  to  right  living;  they  lived  by  preying 
on  one  another.  The  universal  rule  seemed  to  be,  "Might, 
makes  right."  The  upper  classes  oppressed  the  lower,  while 
the  lower  classes  in  turn  oppressed  those  lower  still.  Every 
man  Avas  apparently  living  for  himself,  with  no  thought  of 
his  neighbor,  no  care  for  his  interests.  The  situation  was 
thus  summed  up :  "Men  apparently  had  lost  the  sympathetic 
imagination  by  which  the  pain  and  grief  of  the  unfortunate 
are   transferred    from  the  hearts   of   others." 

The  root  of  the  difficulty  then — as  it  is  the  root  of  social 
difficulty  today — was  that  men  persisted  in  thinking  that 
the  way  to  happiness  is  through  self-seeking.  The  world  is 
being  transformed,  and  this  transformation  is  due  'to  the 
fact  that  from  year  to  year  the  conviction  is  gaining  ground 
that  the  way  to  happiness  is  not  found  in  self-seeking,  but  in 
service ;  not  in  looking  out  for  one's  self,  but  in  planning 
for  the  well-being  of  others.  The  transformation  is  slow 
because  so  many  scorn  the  teaching;  but  the  faithfulness  of 
those  who  have  made  it  a  part  of  their  lives  is  constantly 
bearing  fruit  in  the  transformation  of  self-seekers  into  serv- 
ants of  their  fellows. 

Life  Is  not  worth  while  unless  it  is  full  of  deeds  of  thought- 
fulness  like  those  told  of  a  community  of  Jewish  immigrant 
farmers  in  New  England.  One  farmer  in  the  community  lost 
his  barn  by  fire.  All  the  contents  were  destroyed.  His 
capital  had  been  exhausted  in  the  purchase  of  the  farm,  and 
he  and  his  family  were  destitute  at  the  beginning  of  winter. 
"As  soon  as  his  pHght  became  known  a  group  of  his  neighbors 
assembled.  'What  can  we  do  to  put  this  man.  on  his  feet?* 
was  the  question  that  occupied  them.  In  less  than  one  hour 
the  victim  of  the  fire  had  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to 
his  credit,  and  was  able  to  start  all  over  again."  Another 
farmer  was  busy  plowing  when  his  best  horse  died.     "Once 

88 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE  [IX-c] 

more  the  neighbors  got  together,  raised  a  fund  and  bought 
him  a  horse,  the  cost  of  which  he  paid  back  in  instalments." 

There  is  in  the  world  far  more  of  such  unselfishness  than 
the  pessimist  is  willing  to  own.  An  ambitious  young  man 
employed  in  a  bank  knew  of  a  chance  to  prepare  himself  by 
extra  effort  for  a  longed-for  promotion.  He  was  eager,  till 
he  learned  that  another  clerk,  who  was  supporting  an  invalid 
mother,  was  working  for  the  same  position.  Without  say- 
ing a  word,  the  young  man  resolved  to  make  no  effort  to 
secure  the  new  position ;  there  would  be  time  enough  for 
him  when  the  needy  man  was  taken  care  of. 

Some  years  ago,  when  a  bill  was  pending  in  Congress 
prohibiting  the  use  of  disease-breeding  phosphorus  in  the 
manufacture  of  matches,  it  was  realized  that  the  greatest 
danger  to  the  bill  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  Diamond  Match 
Company  owned  the  patent  to  the  only  safe  process  of  manu- 
facturing phosphorous  matches.  President  Taft  appealed  to 
the  company  to  surrender  its  patent  that  the  law  might  not 
fail  of  passage,  or,  if  passed,  that  other  manufacturers  might 
not  be  thrown  out  of  business.  The  patent  rights  were 
surrendered  at  once. 

A  man  past  middle  age,  the  father  of  a  family,  who  had 
found  difficulty  in  securing  work  because  of  his  years,  be- 
came engineer  in  a  city  factory.  On  his  very  first  day  in  his 
new  position  he  noticed  a  number  of  unsafe  contrivances  as 
well  as  the  omission  of  certain  precautions  for  the  safety 
of  employes  which  in  most  establishments  were  deemed 
absolutely  essential.  When  he  called  the  attention  of  his 
superior  to  these  irregularities,  he  was  advised  to  forget 
about  them,  and  a  hint  was  given  that  protest  would  cost 
him  his  job.  The  engineer's  next  hope  was  in  the  city's 
inspector  of  steam  boilers,  but  a  perfunctory  visit  from  this 
official  was  followed  by  approval  of  the  plant.  Then  the 
engineer  saw  that  the  only  hope  of  securing  the  correction 
of  abuses  lay  in  calling  themito  the  attention  of  the  inspector, 
who  could  not  be  silent  about  them  under  such  circum- 
stances. An  unfavorable  report  from  the  inspector  would 
compel  the  company  to  protect  their  men.  Yet — and  here 
was  the  problem — the  engineer  could  thus  protect  his  fellow 
workmen  only  by  endangering  his  own  position  and  so  the 
welfare  of  his  family.  What  was  he  to  do?  What  would 
you  have  done? 

89 


[IX-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

And  what  would  you  have  been  tempted  to  do  if  you  had 
been  in  the  place  of  Alice  Freeman  Palmer,  to  whom  a 
friend  protested  because  she  was  devoting  time  to  doing  little 
things  for  needy  people  when  she  might  have  written  books 
that  would  have  brought  her  fame  ?  "When  you  are  gone 
people  will  ask  who  you  were,  and  nobody  will  be  able  to 
say,"  the  friend  urged.  "Well,  why  should  they  say?"  was 
her  reply.  "It  is  people  that  count.  You  want  to  put  your- 
self into  people;  they  touch  other  people;  these,  others  still, 
and  so  you  go  on  working  forever."  Not  "How  much  fame 
may  I  win?"  but  "How  much  help  may  I  give?"  is  the  ques- 
tion to  be  answered  by  every  earnest  individual. 

There  are  those  who  are  perfectly  willing  to  serve  when 
the  service  does  not  require  too  much  effort  or  when  it  does 
not  involve  danger  to  self.  But  Paul  sets  before  us  the 
privilege  of  serving  others  in  entire  forgetfulness  of  self. 
The  Christian  who  has  a  passion  for  service  will  not  worry 
about  himself. 

A  Christian  business  man  once  gave  a  reporter  an  inter- 
view in  which  he  spoke  freely  of  abuses  connected  with  the 
business  in  which  he  earned  his  living.  The  reporter  con- 
gratulated himself  on  the  good  story  he  was  able  to  write, 
until  he  realized  that  the  printing  of  it,  unchanged,  might 
have  a  serious  effect  on  the  future  of  the  business  man.  So 
he  wrote  to  him  and  asked  him  if  it  would  not  be  wise  to 
leave  out  many  things  in  the  story  which,  from  the  reporter's 
point  of  view,  made  it  really  worth  printing.  Reasons  were 
stated ;  the  danger  to  the  man  of  publishing  the  story 
unchanged  was  explained  carefully.  A  few  days  later  came 
the  business  man's  response.  He  said  he  had  carefully 
read  the  story  to  his  wife,  in  view  of  the  reporter's  sugges- 
tions, and  that  both  of  them  agreed  it  ought  to  be  printed 
exactly  as  it  stood.  "We  feel  that  God  will  use  that  article 
to  waken  some  director's  conscience  or  startle  to  action  some 
conscientious  official,"  he  wrote.  Then  he  went  on :  "In  any 
event,  worse  than  the  risk  I  am  running  is  the  fearful  con- 
dition of  the  one  thousand  employes  of  the  company  who 
are  suffering   from  such  unprincipled  management." 

There  are  those  who  do  not  find  it  difficult  to  forget  self 
in  the  service  of  others,  who  fail  utterly  when  the  call  comes 
to  show  the  love  that  forgives  injuries.  Yet  no  one  can 
claim  to  be  a  true  follower  of  Christ  who  cannot  forgive  an 

90 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE  [IX-c] 

injury  as  completely  as  a  minister  to  whom  an  editor  wrote 
for  the  verification  of  an  incident  he  had  heard,  which  he 
wished  to  use  in  his  paper.  The  incident  told  how  the  min- 
ister had  been  led  into  the  greatest  work  of  his  Hfe  after 
he  had  been  forced  out  of  his  own  church  by  the  opposition 
of  one  of  his  leading  members.  This  was  the  reply  to  the 
letter  of  inquiry:  "The  incident  referred  to  in  your  letter 
is  a  garbled  statement  of  something  which  happened  in  1874. 
The  good  man  spoken  of  has  been  in  heaven  for  a  long 
time ;  and  there  may  have  been  undue  heat  on  each  side. 
I  should  be  glad  if  the  matter  could  be  relegated  to  oblivion." 
Love  like  that  is  the  unfailing  mark  of  the  true  Christian. 

An  African  missionary  has  told  of  an  old  woman  v/hose 
face  was  much  scarred  by  tribal  tattoo  marks.  When  the 
missionary  asked  her  why  the  women  so  disfigured  their 
faces,  she  replied  that  the  tattoos  were  marks  of  beauty. 
"But,"  said  the  missionary's  wife,  "European  women  do  not 
have  any  such  marks."  "No,"  replied  the  African,  "you  have 
face  marks  of  love,  for  you  feed  the  hungry  and  clothe  the 
naked  without  asking  any  return;  you  are  patient  and  un- 
complaining when  our  people  abuse  you.  You  have  the  face 
marks  of  love." 

Love  is  the  solution  for  all  of  Hfe's  difficulties.  Does  the 
young  man  wonder  how  to  be  on  good  terms  with  his 
friend?  Love  him!  Does  the  teacher  long  for  a  better 
understanding  with  the  boys  of  his  Sunday  school  class? 
Love  them!  Does  the  man  of  business  ponder  the  problem 
of  saving  one  of  his  clerks  from  a  reckless  life?  Love  him  I 
Does  the  mother  yearn  after  her  neighbor  who  is  bringing 
gloom  to  her  home  by  an  unhappy  disposition?  Love  her  I 
Is  it  your  desire  to  win  your  friend  to  Christ?  Love  him  I 
"He  loved  me  out  of  the  pit!"  was  the  true  description 
given  by  one  who  had  been  reclaimed  from  sin,  in  speaking 
of  the  method  employed  by  the  friend  who  reached  him. 

"Love  is  of  God;  and  every  one  that  loveth  is  begotten 
of  God,  and  knoweth  God."  I  John  4:  7.  Love  Hfts  us 
above  the  earth  and  puts  us  in  touch  with  heaven.  It  closes 
our  eyes  to  the  unworthy  and  the  mean  and  opens  them  to 
the  splendid  and  the  beautiful.  It  empties  our  hearts  of 
everything  that  is  base  and  fills  them  with  highest  aspira- 
tions and  noblest  impulses.  It  makes  us  companions  and 
friends  of  Jesus  and  equips  us  to  do  his  work  in  the  world. 

91 


[IX-s]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

O  thou  who  hast  loved  us  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
who  didst  die  for  us  that  we  might  know  the  meaning  of 
thy  love,  who  dost  not  turn  away  from  us  even  when  we 
spurn  thy  love,  teach  us  what  love  is.  Show  us  thy  heart. 
May  the  vision  humble  us  to  confession  of  our  failures,  to 
appreciation  of  our  own  littleness,  to  longing  for  a  purer, 
truer  life.  Dwell  in  us  that  our  lives  may  be  beautiful  and 
winning.  Give  us  thy  Spirit  that  we  may  know  we  are  the 
children  of  eternal  love,  and  that  all  fear  may  be  cast  out 
forever.    And  to  thee  shall  be  the  glory.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

How  would  you  answer  the  man  who  says  it  is  impossible 
to  live  in  the  spirit  of  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  First  Corin- 
thians and  get  along  in  the  world? 

Who  gets  closer  to  his  fellows — the  successful  pusher  who 
disregards  the  interests  of  others,  or  the  one  who  is  always 
planning  to  see  that  others  have  a  good  time? 

What  do  you  think  of  the  inventor  of  the  milk-test  machine, 
who  refused  to  patent  it  because  he  wanted  to  help  other 
people? 

Is  it  possible  to  live  the  life  of  love  without  learning  from 
the  love  of  the  Son  of  God? 


92 


CHAPTER  X 

The  Secret  of  Happiness 

DAILY  READINGS 
Tenth  Week,  First  Day 

The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is    .     .     .    joy. — Gal.  5:  22. 
Finally,  my  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord. — Phil.  3:  i. 

Why  is  the  long  faced  Christian  a  disgrace  to  his  profes- 
sion? Where  in  the  Bible  will  he  find  his  authority  for 
gloom?  What  was  the  message  of  the  angels  on  the  first 
Christmas  day?  What  did  Jesus  say  about  joy  in  John, 
chapters  16  and  17?  Turn  to  your  concordance  and  note 
how  many  times  occur  the  words  joy,  joyous,  joyful,  re- 
joice, and  the  like.  How  do  you  think  Jesus  looked?  Would 
the  children  have  crowded  about  him  if  he  had  been  sad 
and  gloomy?  Would  people  have  been  attracted  by  his 
message  if  he  had  been  mournful?  What  are  the  elements 
in  the  Christian's  joy?  What  does  the  orchardist  do  with 
the  tree  that  bears  no  fruit,  or  only  perverted  fruit?  What 
would  Christ  be  justified  in  doing  with  the  Christian  who  does 
not  show  the  fruit  he  has  a  right  to  expect?  If  ever 'you 
are  at  a  loss  for  reasons  for  gladness,  read  Zeph.  3:  14-17, 
and  see  what  a  good  partner  the  prophet  would  have  bQ,en 
for  Paul. 

Tenth  Week,  Second  Day 

Concerning  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice, 
that  it  might  depart  from  me.  And  he  hath  said  unto  me, 
My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee:  for  my  power  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather 
glory  in  my  weaknesses,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may 
rest  upon  me.     Wherefore  I  take  pleasure  in  v/eaknesses, 

93 


IX-3]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

in  injuries,  in  necessities,  in  persecutions,  in  distresses, 
for  Christ's  sake:  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong. 
-—II  Cor.  12:  8-10. 

A  young  Italian  who  had  been  unjustly  committed  to 
prison  chafed  under  the  ordeal,  but  long  after  he  came  from 
the  prison  he  realized  that  blessings  he  enjoyed  later  could 
never  have  been  his  but  for  the  trials  that  preceded.  He 
passed  the  lesson  on  in  the  form  of  a  parable,  the  text  being 
the  suit  of  frustagno  (Italian  homespun)  v^hich  took  the 
place  of  his  convict  garb.  He  said :  "Frustagno  is  made  of 
liemp  and  cotton, .  two  weak  materials,  but  when  combined 
they  become  a  cloth  of  the  strongest  and  most  durable 
<iuality.  The  hemp  and  cotton  are  woven  closely  together, 
and  thoroughly  soaked  in  water.  Then  the  cloth  is  laid  upon 
a  smooth,  square  stone  and  beaten  with  stout  sticks  until 
it  is  perfectly  dry.  There  is  no  wearing  out  of  a  suit  of  frus- 
tagno. That  which  gives  the  cloth  such  strength  and  dura- 
hility  is  the  thrashing  it  receives ;  and  is  this  not  true  of 
liuman  life?  Man  is  made  strong  and  self-dependent  by 
having  passed  under  the  hard  knocks  of  experience.  It 
sometimes  takes  almost  as  severe  treatment  as  the  cloth 
receives  to  knock  out  self  conceit  and  make  one  useful  to 
society.  The  knocks  and  grindings  I  have  received  were 
indeed  severe,  but  they  were  all  for  my  good,  to  prepare  me 
for  life's  battle,"  How  may  a  privation  become  a  source 
of  happiness? 

Tenth  Week,  Third  Day- 
Wherefore  we  faint  not;  but  though  our  outward  man 
is  decaying,  yet  our  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day. 
For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  for  the  moment,  worketh 
for  us  more  and  more  exceedingly  an  eternal  weight  of 
glory;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen, 
but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen:  for  the  things  which 
are  seen  are  temporal;  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen 
are  eternal. — II  Cor.  4:  16-18. 

Have  you  looked  with  wonder  at  a  Christian  who  suffers 
constant  pain,  yet  is  a  messenger  of  cheer  to  all  who  come 
into  the  home?  How  have  you  explained  the  fact?  What 
do   you   think   of   Paul's    explanation?      Do   you   think   that 

94 


THE  SECRET  OF  HAPPINESS  [X-4] 

Paul's  assurance,  "to  them  that  love  God  all  things  work: 
together  for  good,"  is  literally  true,  or  do  you  sometimes 
feel  like  taking  it  at  a  discount?  Those  who  take  literally 
this  assurance,  as  well  as  the  statement  made  in  this  day's 
reading,  cannot  afford  to  forget  two  things.  First,  they  must 
be  patient.  It  may  seem  sometimes  that  the  coming  of  the 
promised  blessing  is  long  delayed.  Why  not?  God  has  a 
lifetime — our  lifetime — to  fit  us  for  eternity.  Years  may 
pass  before  we  see  the  place  of  a  particular  trial  in  his  plan 
for  our  happiness.  It  will  not  always  be  so.  But  let  us 
comfort  ourselves  with  the  thought  that  it  is  an  eternal  weight 
of  glory  God  is  working  out  for  us.  The  second  thing  ta 
remember  is  that,  while  physical  blessings  do  come  to  Chris- 
tians which  are  distinctly  the  result  of  suffering  and  trial, 
often  the  only  result  of  trial  and  disappointment  is  the 
increase  of  the  spiritual  life,  the  added  beauty  of  the  inner 
life.  Shall  we  say  that  suffering  is  not  worth  while  if  this 
is  all  it  brings  to  us?  If  we  say  this,  how  does  our  attitude' 
differ  from  that  taken  by  those  who  sneer  at  religious  bless^ 


Tenth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

But  this  I  say,  He  that  sowcth  sparingly  shall  reap  also 
sparingly;  and  he  that  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap  also 
bountifully.  Let  each  man  do  according  as  he  hath  pur- 
posed in  his  heart;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity:  for 
God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver. — II  Cor.  9:  6,  7. 

Remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  he  him- 
self said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. — 
Acts  20:  35. 

An  American  resident  in  India,  accustomed  to  all  sorts  of 
accommodations  when  traveling  in  the  interior,  once  came 
to  a  village  where  the  head  man  had  a  hiijra,  or  guest  house. 
The  host,  a  Mohammedan,  had  already  retired,  but  he  rose 
from  his  bed  to  receive  the  traveler  who  asked  if  the  hujra 
belonged  to  him.  "No,  it  is  God's,  but  I  am  in  charge  of 
it,"  was  the  answer,  which  was  not  mere  form,  as  was  proved 
by  the  welcome  freely  accorded  the  visitor. 

What  difference  would  it  make  in  our  gifts,  and  in  our 
pleasure  in  making  gifts,  if  we  should  take  a  like  attitude 
to  what  God  has  intrusted  to  us? 

95 


[X-5]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

How  much  of  what  God  has  given  to  us  is  to  be  admin- 
istered for  him? 

Dare  we  make  the  prayer  that  God  will  use  for  his  glory 
every  dollar  we  spend,  whether  or  not  it  is  given  directly  for 
the  support  of  his  work? 

Tenth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

But  I  hold  not  my  life  of  any  account  as  dear  unto 
myself,  so  that  I  may  accomplish  my  course,  and  the  min- 
istry which  I  received  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify 
the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. — Acts  20:  24. 

Why  should  a  man  be  glad  to  be  the  bearer  of  the  invita- 
tion, "Come  unto  me  .  .  .  and  I  will  give  you  rest"? 
George  Sherwood  Eddy  says  that  the  gospel  is  still  good 
news  in  Korea,  and  that  the  native  Christians  are  glad  because 
they  can  ask  others  to  give  their  hearts  to  Christ.  "If  a 
man  spends  all  night  at  an  inn  without  telling  the  message 
to  all  the  inmates  he  feels  that  he  has  missed  a  great  oppor- 
tunity," Mr.  Eddy  says.  "We  saw  a  young  student  whose 
diary  shows  thirty-four  hundred  interviews  during  the  year. 
One  day  he  confessed  with  shame  that  he  had  spoken  to 
only  four  persons  about  Christ  that  day."  What  if  every 
Christian  felt  a  like  responsibility  and  privilege?  How  much 
joy  do  you  take  in  speaking  of  your  Master  to  your  asso- 
ciates ? 

Tenth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

For  now  life  is  for  us  life  indeed  since  you  are  standing  fast 
in  the  Lord. — I  Thess.  3:  8   (Weymouth). 

For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  glorying? 
Are  not  even  ye,  before  our  Lord  Jesus  at  his  coming? 
For  ye  are  our  glory  and  our  joy. — I  Thess.  2:  19,  20. 

How  does  the  average  Christian  look  upon  the  call  to  do 
Christian  work?  Why  do  so  many  act  as  if  taking  part  in 
service  for  Christ  were  a  disagreeable  incident  in  life?  What 
is  the  true  attitude?  One  who  had  spent  years  as  a  mission- 
ary, said,  "I  have  dwelt  for  years  by  myself  in  Africa,  have 
been  thirty  times   stricken  with   fever,  have  been  ambushed 

96 


THE  SECRET  OF  HAPPINESS  [X-7] 

by  natives,  have  eaten  everything  from  ants  to  rhinoceroses, 
but  I  would  gladly  go  through  the  same  experiences  again 
for  the  joy  of  teaching  those  people  to  know  the  Saviour." 
Why  did  he  feel  so?  Why  is  it  such  pleasure  to  lead  a 
friend  or  an  acquaintance  to  Jesus  Christ?  Why  should 
it  be  a  keen  pleasure  to  watch  the  progress  in  Christian 
living  of  those  whom  one  has  been  instrumental  in  leading 
to  Christ? 

Tenth  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Singing   and   making   melody   with   your   heart  to   the 
Lord. — Eph.  5:   19. 
Rejoice   always. — I  Thess.  5;  16. 

Christianity  has  been  called  "the  religion  that  sings."  What 
is  there  in  heathen  religions  to  prompt  one  to  sing?  Why 
is  it  that  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  adapt  Christian 
hymns  to  the  uses  of  Buddhism?  Can  you  picture  an  atheist 
singing  because  he  does  not  believe  in  God?  How  would 
a  church  service  with  all  singing  eliminated  appeal  to  you? 
W'hat  does  it  mean  to  sing  with  the  heart?  How  can  one 
sing  in  the  heart?  Is  it  possible  for  the  heart  to  be  singing 
all  the  time?  How  close  must  one  keep  to  Christ  if  this  is 
to  be  the  condition  in  his  heart?  How  close  to  Christ  did 
Paul  keep?  Is  there  any  reason  why  we  cannot  keep  as 
close  as  he  did?     Does  Christ  show  any  favoritism? 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Why  are  so  many  Christians  content  to  he  gloomy,  or 
sullen,  or  unpleasant,  or  dictatorial,  or  unsympathetic? 
They  may  he  true  servants  of  God,  and  exhihit  these  traits; 
hut  how  much  happier  they  would  he,  and  how  much  more 
useful,  without  them! 

Dr.  Hastings  tells  of  a  friend  who  spoke  of  a  neighbor, 
saying,  "I  am  sure  he  is  a  Christian,  but  he  is  a  rather  dis- 
agreeable one."  Is  it  not  a  certainty  "that  part  of  a  Chris- 
tian's duty  to  his  Lord  is  to  learn  at  his  feet  the  kindliness, 
the  gentleness,  the  sympathy,  the  considerateness,  w^hich  win 
and  are  attractive  for  him"?  By  what  right  are  any  of  us 
content  with  less  than  that?  The  Psalmist's  prayer  was, 
"Let  the  favor  of  the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  us." 

97 


[X-c]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

How  can  the  Christian  who  offers  that  prayer  be  disagree- 
able? And  why  should  not  every  Christian  try  to  live  that 
prayer  every  day  of  his  life? 

There  is  no  excuse  for  an  existence  that  is  cheerless,  empty, 
unsatisfied,  no  matter  how  much  privation  there  may  be  in 
the  life.  Those  who  make  God  their  constant  companion, 
their  unfailing  Friend,  say  that  burdens  are  lightened  and 
that  life  is  transformed  because  of  his  presence. 

The  Master  tells  the  secret  of  being  glad.  When  Hfe  is 
hard  we  must  look,  not  at  men  about  us,  but  at  the  Father 
above  us.  When  we  are  discouraged,  perplexed,  dismayed, 
we  have  only  to  lift  our  thoughts  to  God,  to  tell  him  about 
the  hard  things,  to  ask  him  to  show  us  how  to  understand 
them.  "If  we  "look  up  and  not  down,"  there  will  be  a  song 
of  thanksgiving  in  the  heart. 

Paul  and  Silas,  in  the  prison,  after  a  form  of  punishment 
so  severe  that  death  was  frequently  caused  by  it,  did  not 
stop  to  rub  their  sorely  wounded  backs  and  groan  in  their 
misery;  they  rejoiced  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to 
suffer  dishonor  for  Christ.  That  is  the  spirit  that  will  yet 
conquer  the  world.  There  is  abundant  reason  for  such 
rejoicing.  Paul  rejoiced  in  spite  of  troubles  many  times 
greater  than  any  that  can  come  to  us. 

One  of  Paul's  greatest  trials  was  his  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the 
physical  ailment  which  he  does  not  describe  for  us.  Three 
times  he  earnestly  asked  to  be  freed  from  this  burden,  but 
•Christ  chose  to  answer  his  prayer,  not  by  taking  away  the 
.ailment  but  by  giving  him  strength  to  bear  it.  It  is  to  be 
everlasting  honor  that  he  no  longer  urged  his  prayer ;  he 
knew  he  had  received  his  answer.  Thereafter  he  took  pleas- 
ure even  in  his  ailment,  for  it  was  helping  him  to  live  as 
God's  companion. 

God's  method  of  dealing  with  his  children  Is  far  wiser 
than  that  taken  by  many  earthly  parents  whose  love  for  their 
children  frequently  finds  expression  in  the  effort  to  remove 
all  difficulties  from  their  path.  But  their  activity  is  not 
always  the  blessing  it  is  intended  to  be.  A  traveler  has  told 
of  meeting  in  Europe  a  mother  who  said  to  her  daughter, 
"If  I  had  had  your  opportunities  when  I  was  young,  I  should 
have  been  a  very  happy  girl."  But  the  daughter  was  not 
happy ;  she  felt  that  she  had  too  many  advantages  and  not 
enough  difficulties.    "You  do  not  know  what  life  is  when  all 

98 


THE  SECRET  OF  HAPPINESS  [X-c] 

the  difficulties  are  removed,"  she  said.  "I  am  simply  smoth- 
ered and  sickened  with  advantages.  It  is  like  eating  a  sweet 
dessert  the  first  thing  in  the  morning."  God  in  his  wisdom 
sometimes  allows  difficulties  to  remain  in  our  way.  He 
knows  that  without  the  discipline  of  overcoming  difficulties 
our  lives  would  be  one-sided,  our  development  would  be 
hindered  and  our  capacity  for  real  joy  would  be  limited. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  all  the  hard  things  must  be 
hindrances  to  happiness  and  achievement.  "Wouldn't  this 
world  be  a  great  place  to  live  in  if  there  were  no  weeds  in 
it!"  a  traveler  who  had  been  looking  out  on  a  beautiful 
landscape  remarked  to  his  companion.  "But  isn't  it  a  good 
thing  to  have  to  fight  the  weeds?"  was  the  unexpected  reply. 
"Life  would  lose  its  zest  if  everything  could  be  had  without 
a  struggle."  He  was  right.  Happiness  comes  not  so  much 
through  freedom  from  trials  and  troubles  and  hardships, 
as  through  God-given  ability  to  rise  above  such  things. 

An  English  book  tells  the  story  of  a  London  poHce  court 
missionary  who  found  satisfying  life  work  as  a  result  of  an 
accident  that  seemed  to  sound  the  death  knell  of  all  his 
hopes.  He  was  playing  with  his  little  son  in  the  fields,  when 
the  boy  said,  "Father,  roll !"  The  boy  rolled  gleefully  along 
the  ground.  Then  the  father  rolled.  The  next  thing  he 
knew  the  boy  was  asking,  "Are  you  awake,  father?"  He 
had  rolled  into  a  ditch,  where  painful  injuries  had  made  him 
unconscious.  A  blood  vessel  had  been  broken,  and  he  was 
never  strong  thereafter.  Several  years  of  hardship  followed. 
Then  the  way  was  opened  to  undertake  the  London  employ- 
ment, which  would  not  have  been  offered  to  him  if  he  had 
not  had  his  accident.  He  was  successful  from  the  first, 
because  his  own  suffering  fitted  him  to  sympathize  with  other 
sufferers. 

Faith  in  God  should  be  so  strong  that  there  will  never  be 
a  doubt  in  our  minds  that  "to  them  that  love  God  all  things 
work  together  for  good."  All  things  that  come  to  an  earnest 
servant  of  God  are  God's  gifts.  They  are  sent  in  love,  and 
they  are  to  be  received  with  joy. 

But  are  we  to  permit  the  giving  to  be  all  on  one  side? 
How  about  our  gifts  to  God?  We  start  by  giving  ourselves 
to  him.  But  is  there  not  something  lacking  in  the  promise 
that  dedicates  the  life  to  God  and  holds  back  the  possessions? 
All  that  we  have  is  the  Lord's ;  it  all  came  from  him.     God 

99 


[X-c]    THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

asks  us  to  give  only  a  portion  of  this  for  his  work;  it  must 
be  remembered,  however,  that  all  is  to  be  used  for  his  glory. 
The  question  to  be  answered,  whenever  the  pocket  book  is 
opened,  should  be,  "Will  this  use  to  which  I  propose  to  put 
this  money  be  for  God's  glory?"  Those  who  spend  on  them- 
selves and  give  to  others  in  that  spirit,  are  on  the  right  track ; 
they  will  become  cheerful  givers. 

Do  we  ever  feel  like  patting  ourselves  on  the  back  because 
we  are  so  generous  in  our  gifts?  When  we  have  such  a  feel- 
ing it  would  do  us  good  to  think  of  some  people  who  have 
learned  the  real  joy  of  giving.  When  Matthias  W.  Baldwin, 
the  builder  of  the  first  American  locomotive,  was  a  young 
man  struggling  for  a  foothold,  he  attended  a  meeting  called 
to  raise  money.  After  an  hour  of  despondent  debate,  he 
rose  and  said,  "Brethren,  we  have  talked  long  enough.  It  is 
time  something  was  done.  We  need  not  expect  others  to 
give  until  we  set  them  the  example.  I  have  laid  aside  twenty- 
five  dollars  for  a  new  suit  of  clothes;  but  I  can  wear  my 
old  ones  one  winter  longer.  Put  my  name  down  for  twenty- 
five."  This  example  of  self-denial  changed  the  spirit  of  the 
meeting   in   an   instant. 

One  of  the  richest  women  in  a  western  city  was  a  cook. 
She  gave  the  savings  of  a  lifetime  to  buy  a  manse  for  the 
church  of  which  she  was  a  member.  Thus  she  gave  up  every- 
thing; but  she  had  riches  that  no  man  could  take  from  her. 
The  sage  of  old  who  wrote,  "There  is  that  scattereth,  and 
increaseth  yet  more,"  knew  what  he  was  talking  about. 

In  Korea  a  little  band  of  Christians  were  building  a 
church,  but  they  lacked  fifteen  dollars.  For  a  long  time  the 
building  stood  half  finished,  when  an  earnest  young  man  be- 
came burdened  about  it.  His  possessions  were  only  a  small 
piece  of  ground,  a  bullock,  and  a  little  mud  hut.  One  morn- 
ing after  prayer  he  led  away  the  bullock  to  the  house  of  a 
friend,  who  gave  him  in  exchange  fifteen  dollars.  The  little 
church  was  finished.  Springtime  came  and  the  farmers  began 
to  plow  their  fields.  But  what  of  Pai  Ni  II,  who  was  without 
his  bullock?  He  and  his  brother  got  into  the  traces  and  drew 
the  plow,  while  his  old  father  held  the  handles. 

But  no  Christian  has  really  learned  the  joy  of  giving  until 
he  has  begun  to  throw  his  life  into  the  service  of  his  fellows, 
ministering  to  them,  helping  them,  encouraging  them,  point- 
ing them  to   Christ.     There  is  no  pleasure  like  that  which 

100 


THE  SECRET  OF  HAPPINESS  [X-cl 

comes  to  the  winner  of  souls.  There  is  no  higher  privilege 
than  that  giving  to  the  man  who  can  say  to  his  fellows,  "O 
taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good." 

Because  he  realizes  this,  a  talented  Christian  in  China  is 
glad  to  serve  in  obscurity,  that  he  may  find  the  way  to  the 
hearts  of  his  countrymen.  "He  might  have  been  a  professor 
in  his  college.  He  might  have  had  one  of  a  hundred  posi- 
tions of  influence  at  a  princely  salary,  as  salaries  go  in  China; 
he  might  have  been  secretary  to  the  viceroy  if  he  had  chosen. 
He  might  have  been  the  leading  Christian  layman  in  any  one 
of  a  thousand  cities.  Where  is  he  now?  Pastor  of  a  church 
in  the  Yangtze  valley  at  fifteen  dollars  a  m.onth,  in  a  city 
where  not  one  in  ten  thousand  people  can  talk  with  him 
in  English  or  appreciate  him."  Some  of  that  man's  friends 
make  fun  of  him.     But  what  of  that? 

There  were  those  in  a  western  town  who  laughed  at  the 
men  of  a  Bible  class  who  longed  to  know  the  joy  of  the  soul- 
winner.  They  studied  prospects  with  care,  and  they  decided 
that  the  men  most  worth  while  winning  were  four  of  the 
worst  drinkers  in  the  town,  as  well  as-  two  men  who  had 
served  time  in  the  county  jail.  The  six  men  consented  to 
come  to  the  class.  They  were  made  welcome,  though  some 
declared  that  their  presence  would  lower  the  tone  of  the 
class.  The  reward  came  when  two  of  the  men  united  with 
the  church.  "And  we  have  reason  to  think  the  other  four 
will  come  soon,"  the  soul-winner  said,  happily. 

Christians  like  these  Bible  class  men  would  have  delighted 
the  heart  of  Maltbie  D.  Babcock,  who  appealed  to  Christians : 

"Be   strong! 
We  are  not  here  to  play,  to  dream,  to  drift. 
We  have  hard  work  to  do,  and  loads  to  lift. 
Shun  not  the  struggle — face  it,  'tis  God's  gift." 

We  thank  thee,  our  Father,  for  the  place  prepared  for  its, 
for  the  joy  we  are  to  have  in  thy  presence,  for  the  knowl- 
edge that  we  are  to  serve  thee  forever.  May  we  not  be  alone 
as  we  enter  thy  presence  and  stand  before  thy  throne,  but 
may  we  take  zvith  us  many  of  those  with  whom  we  have 
lived,  for  whom  we  have  prayed,  to  whom  we  have  given  the 
invitation  to  seek  the  Lord  with  us.  Make  us  faithful  serv- 
ants every  moment,  that  our  associates  out  in  the  world  or 

lOI 


[X-s]     THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

in  the  home  may  he  won  by  litHe  acts  of  love  to  desire  to 
know  the  Lord  who  is  directing  our  ways.  In  the  name  of 
him  who  died  that  we  might  live.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

How  has  the  promise,  'To  them  that  love  God  all  things 
work  together  for  good,"  been  fulfilled  in  your  life? 

What  is  your  conviction  as  to  the  best  way  to  give  to  God's 
work?  How  does  your  plan  succeed?  What  gift  has  brought 
you  most  joy?     Why  do  you  give? 

What  do  you  think  of  the  Christian  who  is  content  to  sing, 
"Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew,  when  first  I  knew  the 
Lord"?    Why  should  the  Christian's  joy  increase  as  the  years 


102 


CHAPTER  XI 

Things  to  Pray  For 

DAILY  READINGS 

Eleventh  Week,  First  Day 

Pray  without  ceasing. — I  Thess.  5:  17. 
Continue    stedfastly   in    prayer,    watching   therein   with 
thanksgiving. — Col.   4:   2. 

What  is  to  be  thought  of  the  Christian  who  is  content  to 
plan  for  stated  seasons  of  prayer,  while  between  times  he 
never  thinks  of  prayer?  Yet  we  may  speak  to  God  at  any 
time.  Is  it  hard  to  realize  this?  Why  not  try  speaking  to 
him  at  any  moment  through  the  day?  Earnest  Christians 
testify  that  there  is  nothing  like  this  method  of  reahzing  the 
constant  presence  of  God.  The  prayers  made  during  the 
hours  of  business  may  be  mere  ejaculations — a  plea  for  help 
in  temptation,  or  for  guidance  at  a  time  of  special  difficulty, 
a  request  that  God  will  be  with  a  sick  friend  of  whom  word 
has  just  been  received,  a  heart  uplifted  in  parssing  a  house, 
it  may  be  of  a  stranger,  on  the  door  of  which  there  has 
been  placed  the  sign  that  God  has  taken  to  himself  one  of 
the  family  within.  Everywhere,  on  the  car,  on  the  street,  in 
the  office,  in  the  lecture  room,  we  are  in  God's  presence  and 
we  may  speak  to  him. 

Weymouth  translates  Colossians  4:  2,  "Be  earnest  and 
unwearied  in  prayer,  being  on  the  alert  in  it."  How  does 
this  help  in   the  understanding  of  Paul's  message f 

Eleventh  Week,  Second  Day 

I  exhort  .  .  .  that  supplications,  prayers  ...  be 
made  for  all  men. — I  Tim.  2:  i. 

103 


[XI-3]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

How  often  do  we  pray  for  other  people?  Why  is  it  far 
easier  to  devote  most  petitions  to  ourselves  and  our  fancied 
needs,  while  we  speak  of  the  needs  of  others  in  a  few  words 
or  sentences  at  the  end  of  the  rather  formal  morning  or 
evening  prayer?  How  far  was  the  cynic  justified  who  said 
that  the  prayer  of  many  Christians  was  something  like  this : 
"Lord,  bless  me  and  my  wife,  my  son  John  and  his  wife,  us 
four  and  no  more"?  Note  how  Paul  used  his  privilege  of 
pra3ang  for  others   (Eph.   i:  16-19). 

What  proportion  of  Christ's  prayers  zvere  for  himself f 

Eleventh  Week,   Third   Day 

Epaphras  .  .  .  sends  greeting  to  you,  always  wrestling 
on  your  behalf  in  his  prayers,  that  you  may  stand  firm — 
Christians  of  ripe  character  and  of  clear  conviction  as  to 
everything  which  is  God's  will. — Col.  4:   12    (Weymouth). 

Vv^hat  would  it  mean  to  you  in  an  hour  of  severe  tempta- 
tion to  know  that  some  friend  was  asking  God  to  help  you? 
What  do  you  think  it  meant  to  Peter  to  have  the  assurance 
that  Christ  was  praying  for  him?  Luke  22:  31,  32.  What 
do  you  think  of  a  man  who  wants  a  friend  to  do  for  him 
what  he  is  unwilling  to  do  for  his  friend?  What  idea  do  you 
get  from  Paul's  use  of  the  word  wrestling?  Read  the  account 
of  Jacob's  intense  experience  in  prayer  (Genesis  32:  24-31). 
How  accurately  would,  the  word  wrestling  describe  the  aver- 
age prayer?  How  completely  did  Epaphras'  prayer  cover 
the  deepest  needs  of  his  friends?  Can  you  suggest  any- 
thing he  might  have  added  to  his  prayer? 

Eleventh  Week,  Fourth  Day 

To  which  end  we  also  pray  always  for  you,  that  our 
God  may  count  you  worthy  of  your  calling,  and  fulfil 
every  desire  of  goodness  and  every  work  of  faith,  with 
power;  that  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  may  be  glorified 
in  you,  and  ye  in  him,  according  to  the  grace  of  our  God 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — II  Thess.  i:  11,  12. 

What  do  you  do  when  a  friend  asks  you  to  pray  for  him? 
You  promise,  but  how  long  do  you  remember  the  promise? 
Probably  the  request  is  soon  crowded  from  the  mind.     Many 

104 


THINGS  TO  PRAY  FOR  [XI-5] 

men  keep  a  prayer  list,  on  which  they  enter  the  names  of 
those  .who  ask  for  their  prayers,  as  well  as  the  names  of 
those  for  whom  they  wish  to  pray  even  if  they  have  not 
been  asked  to  do  so.  Such  a  list  as  this  would  be  a  help  in 
making  definite  the  prayers  that  sometimes  seem  so  labored. 
Friends  of  Ding  Li  Mei,  the  Chinese  evangelist  who  has 
been  so  wonderfully  successful,  say  that  he  carries  the  names 
of  several  thousand  people  on  his  prayer  list.  What  do  you 
think  would  be  likely  to  be  the  effect  on  the  personal  life  of 
a  man  who  prays  earnestly  for  a  friend  that  he  may  be  a 
worthy  Christian,  and  that  his  life  may  glorify  God?  Can 
one  pray  for  such  things  for  another  and  not  strive  for 
them  himself?  What  would  be  your  reply  to  the  man  who 
scoffs  at  prayer?  What  argument  from  experience  can  you 
make? 

Eleventh  Week,  Fifth  Day 

That  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of 
glory,  may  give  unto  you  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revela- 
tion in  the  knov^^ledge  of  him;  having  the  eyes  of  your 
heart  enlightened,  that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of 
his  calling,  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance 
in  the  saints,  and  what  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his 
power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  according  to  that  working 
of  the  strength  of  his  might  which  he  wrought  in  Christ, 
when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  made  him  to  sit 
at  his  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
rule,  and  authority,  and  power,  and  dominion,  and  every 
name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in 
that  which  is  to  come. — Eph.  i:  17-21. 

Note  the  three  things  which  Paul  prays  that  the  Christian 
may  understand.  The  first  is  hope.  What  do  we  hope  for 
in  the  Christian  life?  We  ought  to  have  a  definite  idea. 
Is  it  only  that  we  may  win  heaven  at  last?  What  else? 
The  second  is  the  riches  of  God's  inheritance  in  his  people. 
Does  that  seem  like  turning  things  wrong  end  to?  We  speak 
of  the  riches  of  our  inheritance  in  God;  but — wonder  of 
wonders — we  have  a  right  to  speak  of  God's  riches  in  us. 
Does  that  thought  bring  a  new  sense  of  responsibility  to  us? 
The  third  thing  we  need  to  understand  is  the  wonderful 
pozver  of  God  which  will  enable  us  to  realize  our  hope  in  life 

105 


[XI-6]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

and  to  become  what  he  wants  us  to  be  that  he  may  rejoice 
in  us. 

Eleventh  Week,  Sixth  Day 

For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father,  from 
whom  every  family  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  named, 
that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
glory,  that  ye  may  be  strengthened  with  power  through 
his  Spirit  in  the  inward  man;  that  Christ  may  dwell  in 
your  hearts  through  faith;  to  the  end  that  ye,  being 
rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be  strong  to  appre- 
hend with  all  the  saints  what  is  the  breadth  and  length 
and  height  and  depth,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ 
which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  may  be  filled  unto  all 
the  fulness  of  God. — Eph.  3:  14-19. 

A  timber  explorer  in  Louisiana  was  engaged  to  estimate 
the  amount  of  growing  cypress  in  a  section  of  land.  So  sure 
was  he  of  the  speedy  completion  of  his  task  that  he  took  no 
lunch  with  him,  leaving  word  at  the  hotel  that  he  would 
return  for  an  early  dinner.  At  first  his  progress  through 
the  forest  was  rapid,  and  his  confidence  increased.  Sud- 
denly, however,  he  was  confronted  by  a  dense  thicket  of 
briers.  Without  hesitation  he  pushed  into  them,  thinking 
to  pass  through  in  a  moment.  But  the  thorns  were  long  and 
sharp,  and  the  branches  were  so  closely  interlaced  that  he 
found  it  out  of  the  question  to  advance  more  than  ten  feet 
in  five  minutes.  Hour  after  hour  the  contest  was  continued. 
Still  he  persevered,  resolved  to  win  his  way  through  that 
section  of  forest.  But  his  strength  was  finally  exhausted, 
and  he  had  to  give  up  until  he  could  return  v/ith  reenforce- 
ments. 

In  what  respects  is  the  experience  of  the  lumberman  like 
the  experience  of  the  Christian  who  fights  the  temptation  to 
do  what  he  knows  is  not  right? . 

How  can  the  knowledge  of  the  love  of  Christ  make  us 
strong? 

Eleventh  Week,  Seventh  Day 

And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more 
and  more  in  knowledge  and  all  discernment;  so  that  ye 
may  approve  the  things  that  are  excellent;  that  ye  may 

106 


THINGS  TO  PRAY  FOR  [XI-cI 

be  sincere  and  void  of  offence  unto  the  day  of  Christ; 
being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are 
through  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God. 
—Phil,  i:  9-1 1. 

Judging  from  his  prayers,  what  was  Paul's  idea  of  the 
comparative  importance  of  physical  blessings  and  spiritual 
blessings?  How  does  his  idea  correspond  to  the  teaching^ 
cf  Jesus  as  indicated  by  the  petitions  in  the  Lord's  prayer? 
Why  is  it  necessary  that  the  Christian  have  as  complete  a 
knowledge  of  Christ  as  possible?  How  will  an  abounding 
love  to  Christ  and  knowledge  of  him  help  us  to  choose  the 
best  things  in  life,  and  to  live  in  such  a  way  that  others  will 
be  glad  that  they  know  us?  Why  should  we  desire  the  love, 
knowledge,  judgment,  sincerity,  perseverance,  and  fruitful- 
ness  for  which  Paul  teaches  us  to  pray? 


COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Always  there  are  those  who  point  to  Paul's  injunction  to 
"Pray  without  ceasing"  as  an  evidence  of  the  impracticability 
of  so  many  Christian  teachings.     But  is  it  impracticable f 

Paul  was  writing  to  his  friends  at  Thessalonica — the 
modern  city  of  Salonika.  At  the  close  of  the  letter  he  told 
them  certain  things  they  must  do  if  they  would  be  earnest 
disciples  of  the  Lord.  "Do  not  be  content  with  spasmodic 
efforts  at  Christian  living,"  he  said ;  "follow  good,  make  the 
pursuit  of  good  your  one  controlling  purpose  in  life."  Again 
he  said,  "Pray  without  ceasing;  let  your  life  be  a  life  of 
prayer." 

A  passenger  who  asked  a  London  cab  driver  if  he  loved 
God  was  told  he  had  no  time  for  such  things.  Then  the 
passenger  asked  him  if  he  had  a  wife.  When  an  affirm- 
ative answer  was  given,  he  said,  "I  am  sorry  for  her."  "Why 
are  you  sorry?"  the  astonished  cabby  asked.  "Because  you 
have  no  time  to  love  her,"  was  the  reply.  "No  time  to  love 
her!  Why,  I  loves  her  every  j^ard  I  drives!"  the  man  said. 
If  we  love  God  every  step  of  the  way,  we  will  be,  in  spirit 
at  least,  in  communion  with  him  at  all  times,  living  so  close 
to  him  that  it  will  seem  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world 
to  speak  to  him  at  any  moment  or  under  all  circumstances. 

10/ 


[XI-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

-  We  must  have  an  appointed  time  for  prayer  when  we  can 
have  a  little  talk  with  God.  The  prayer  then  v/ill  be  as 
definite  as  that  offered  daily  by  a  group  of  earnest  young 
people:  "Take  me,  Lord,  and  use  me  today  as  thou  wilt. 
Whatever  work  thou  hast  for  me  to  do,  give  it  into  my  hands. 
If  there  are  those  thou  wouldst  have  me  to  help  in  any  way, 
send  them  to  me.  Take  my  time  and  use  it  as  thou  wilt. 
Let  me  live  close  to  thy  hand  and  be  fit  for  thy  service,  to 
be  employed  only  for  thee  and  for  ministry  to  others,  in 
his  name." 

Then  there  will  be  special  times  when  it  will  seem  neces- 
sary to  go  apart  for  prayer.  Do  we  know  how  to  retire  to 
a  mountain  top  for  prayer  when  we  are  perplexed  and  need 
strength  and  guidance  for  the  duties  before  us?  Jesus  did; 
and  here  is  the  secret  of  his  wonderful  achievements.  He 
was  at  home  with  God,  as  he  asks  us  to  be.  We  can  find 
our  mountain  top  in  an  instant's  time,  if  we  will  only  pour 
out  our  hearts  to  God  with  earnest  desire  for  his  blessing. 
And  what  blessed  days  those  prove  when  the  mountain  top 
blessing  comes!  And  what  dreary  days  those  are  when  we 
grope  along  the  ground  in  the  valleys  and  have  no  mountain- 
top  experiences  with  God!  A  son  has  told  of  the  difference 
the  mountain-top  experiences  made  in  the  life  of  his  mother. 
*T  came  soon  to  know  that  there  was  a  little,  sacred  interval 
in  each  busy  day,  not  ahvays  won,  but  always  sought  and 
planned  for,  when  no  ordinary  knocking  would  gain  an 
entrance  to  her  closed  door  or  bring  her  to  my  side.  She 
and  her  Bible  were  alone  with  God.  And  I  knew  without 
her  telling  that  I  and  my  concerns  were  a  part  of  her  con- 
cerns in  that  time  of  prayer.  Once  or  twice  I  had  even  been 
called  in,  when  sin  or  sorrow  'was  to  be  spoken  of  between 
us.  And  Hfe  had  a  different  look  when  I  came  out  through 
her  door  after  that  speaking.  In  ordinary  hours  my  mother 
was  not  only  one  of  the  dearest,  but  one  of  the  gayest  com- 
panions ;  but  when  she  came  down  from  that  mount  of 
silence,  it  seemed  to  my  childish  eyes  that  her  face  shone." 

The  Christian  is  to  be  constantly  in  the  presence  of  God, 
consciously  keeping  in  touch  with  him.  Sometimes,  for 
hours,  not  a  word  of  prayer  may  be  spoken  or  thought.  But 
as  one  may  walk  with  his  friend,  enjoying  every  instant  of 
fellowship  with  him,  unconscious,  it  may  be,  that  no  words 
are  uttered,  so  the  Christian  may  hold  true  communion  with 

io8 


THINGS  TO  PRAY  FOR  [XI-cl 

God  while  engaged  in  the  business  of  the  day,  or  as  he  talks 
to  others.  "How  do  you  manage  to  get  time  alone  with 
God?"  a  busy  man  was  asked.  "He  is  my  companion  on 
street  car  rides,  or  when  I  walk  from  my  office  or  my  home," 
he   answered. 

Did  you  ever,  consciously,  take  a  walk  in  God's  company? 
Try  it.  You  will  be  surprised  to  find  how  short  the  way 
seems.  Next  time  3^ou  take  a  long  walk  repeat  the  Psalms 
3'OU  know,  and  any  other  chapters  you  have  learned.  And 
after  you  have  repeated  a  few  Psalms,  pray  for  a  while 
as  you  walk.  Perhaps  the  idea  will  seem  strange  just  at 
first — but  why  should  it?  God  is  the  best  companion  in  the 
world.     Try  him,   and  see ! 

Frequently  surprise  is  expressed  that  some  man  or  some 
woman,  who  seems  to  have  less  thorough  equipment  for  life 
than  many  others,  is  able  to  accomplish  so  much  more  than 
any  of  those  others.  In  many  cases  the  secret  of  the  achieve- 
ments that  cause  surprise  would  be  disclosed  if  we  could 
have  a  glimpse  into  the  prayer  life  of  the  workers.  Such 
a  glimpse  is  given  us  in  the  journal  of  a  missionary  whose 
biographer  lifted  the  veil  of  privacy  long  enough  to  dis- 
close this  prayer,  made  at  a  time  of  great  trial  and  uncer- 
tainty :  "Make  me  patient  under  calumny,  whether  it  be  at 
home  or  abroad.  Give  me  patience  to  labor  at  details  as 
much  as  if  they  were  the  highest  work.  Let  me  not  get  dis- 
appointed with  the  opposition  that  may  be  thrown  in  the  way. 
If  it  shall  prove  not  to  be  thy  call  to  labor  here,  help  me  to 
take  the  lesson  thou  givest  for  my  good.  Help  me  to  be 
content  with  thy  work  in  me  if  not  by  me,  and  out  of  all 
vexation  and  trial  it  has  brought,  only  let  my  heart  be 
brought  nearer  thee."  There  need  be  no  surprise  that  the 
Christian  who  is  in  the  habit  of  making  a  prayer  like  that, 
and  is  daily  trying  to  live  in  accordance  with  the  prayer,  is 
used  by  God  for  the  glory  of  his  kingdom. 

God  has  rich  gifts  awaiting  the  true  prayers  of  his  chil- 
dren; gifts  that  are  to  be  had  for  the  asking  and  not  to  be 
had  unless  they  are  asked  for.  Of  course,  in  all  our  asking, 
it  is  understood  that  we  seek  to  ask  in  accordance  with  his 
will.  "This  is  the  boldness,"  says  John,  "which  we  have 
toward  him,  that,  if  we  ask  anything  according  to  his  will, 
he  heareth  us :  and  if  we  know  that  he  heareth  us  whatso- 
ever we  ask,  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions  which  we 

109 


rXI-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

have  asked  of  him"  (I  John  5:  14,  15).  God  can  be  depended 
upon  to  keep  his  promises  to  his  children.  Can  we  be 
depended  on  to  ask  him,  and  to  fulfil  the  conditions  neces- 
sary for  the  answer? 

A  Christian  business  man  was  fulfilling  the  conditions  God 
has  made  known  to  those  who  would  expect  an  answer  to 
their  prayers,  at  a  time  when  he  was  about  to  receive  a 
promotion.  He  asked  himself  these  questions:  "What  is 
my  aim?  Is  it  money,  honor,  dignity,  ease,  luxury?  What 
is  there  in  money  that  will  satisfy  thee,  O  my  soul?"  Then 
he  made  this  prayer  concerning  the  possible  promotion :  "If 

it  is  thy  will,  wilt  thou  cause  Mr.  H so  to  appoint,  but 

if  otherwise,  maj'  his  mind  be  set  against  it.  Enable  me  to 
feel  that  I  am  in  the  path  where  thou  wouldst  have  me  go." 
Life  would  be  simplified  for  all  of  us  if  we  were  always 
ready  to  pray  in  that  spirit,  and  God  would  just  as  surely  use 
us  and  bless  us  in  his  service  as  he  did  this  young  man. 

Unless  when  we  offer  prayer  we  are  ready  to  do  God's  will, 
whatever  this  may  be,  the  prayer  is  of  little  value.  Do  we 
ask  for  a  greater  knowledge  of  God?  Then  are  we  ready 
to  spend  the  hours  necessary  in  earnest  Bible  study?  We 
plead  for  the  conversion  of  a  friend.  Are  we  ready  to  go 
to  that  friend  and  invite  him  to  become  a  Christian?  We 
pray,  "Thy  kingdom  come."  Do  we  realize  what  is  involved 
in  this  prayer?  The  Christian  who  makes  this  prayer  in 
the  spirit  desired  by  Him  who  taught  it  is  thereby  consecrat- 
ing to  God's  service  his  whole  life,  to  be  used  as  God  sees 
fit  in  the  spread  of  that  kingdom ;  and  the  follower  of  Jesus 
who  from  the  heart  asks  that  laborers  be  sent  forth  to  gather 
the  harvest  of  souls  must  be  willing  to  be  himself  thrust  out, 
if  God  wants  him. 

All  real  prayer  costs.  The  Master's  prayers  cost  him 
strong  crying  and  tears  and  great  drops  of  blood.  They  led 
him  to  Calvary  and  the  tomb.     Where  do  our  prayers  lead 


O,  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  our 
Father,  teach  us  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passcth 
knowledge.  As  our  knozvledge  of  his  love  grows,  may  our 
dissatisfaction  with  ourselves  and  our  own  unloveliness  grow 
also.  Adorn  us  with  his  beauty.  Keep  us  close  to  him  that 
we,  looking  ever  at  our  Pattern,  may  be   transformed  into 

1 10 


THINGS  TO  PRAY  FOR  [XI-sl 

his  likeness,  and  may  be  able  to  look  upon  him  who  suffered 
for  us  all.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND    STUDY 

What  were  some  of  the  things  which  were  prayed  for  by- 
David?  What  did  Abraham's  servant  Elcazar  pray  for? 
What  did  Moses  pray  for?     Solomon?     EHjah?     Daniel? 

What  prayers  by  Paul  are  recorded  in  The  Acts? 

How  is  a  man's  character  revealed  by  his  prayers? 

What  is  the  cost  of  true  prayer? 


Ill 


CHAPTER  XII 

Reasons  for  Thanksgiving 

DAILY  READINGS 

Twelfth  Week,  First  Day 

Giving  thanks  always  for  all  things  in  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  God,  even  the  Father. — Eph.  5:  20. 

What  will  become  of  worry  and  anxiety  for  those  who 
live  in  accordance  with  this  message?  What  room  is  there 
for  discontent?  Is  it  possible  to  be  thankful  for  every- 
thing that  comes  to  us  when  we  are  trying  to  do  what  God 
wants  us  to  do?  Why,  then,  should  the  reader  feel  that 
Paul's  urgent  plea  to  give  thanks  always  for  everything  is 
not  to  be  interpreted  literally?  Do  we  interpret  literally  the 
promise  of  Christ,  "I  will  never  leave  you  nor  forsake  you"? 
Then  why  is  not  literal  interpretation  of  Paul's  message  pos- 
sible and  action  in  accordance  with  it  desirable? 

How  does  Paul's  statement  in  regard  to  himself  in  Philip- 
pians  4:  II,  point  the  way  to  the  thanksgiving  that  lasts? 

Twelfth  Week,  Second  Day 

Giving  thanks  unto  the  Father,  who  made  us  meet  to 
be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. — 
Col.  i:   12. 

There  are  in  these  phrases  almost  as  many  specific  rea- 
sons for  thanksgiving  as  there  are  words.  First,  there  is  the 
word  Father.  How  does  the  Father  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  become  our  Father?  By  what  act  is  an  outsider  taken 
into  one  of  our  families  and  given  the  right  to  call  father 
one  who  is  no  blood  relation  to  him?  What  reason  for 
thanksgiving  is  wrapped  up  in  the  word  us?    What  pleasure 

112 


REASONS  FOR  THANKSGIVING        tXII-3] 

is  there  in  sharing  experiences  with  friends?  What  is 
involved  in  the  fact  that  Christians  can  be  associated  as  they 
receive  God's  blessings?  How  has  God  made  us  fit  to  receive 
his  blessings?  It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  Christ's  followers 
may  at  some  future  time  have  a  right  to  all  the  privileges 
of  the  sons  of  God ;  they  have  that  right  now,  for  they 
have  been  made  fit.  What  does  it  mean  to  be  a  partaker  in 
the  inheritance?  Ask  one  who  has  been  named  with  others 
in  the  will  of  a  rich  m.an.  There  is  one  fundamental  dif- 
ference, however;  the  heirs  of  the  rich  man  must  divide 
the  inheritance,  whereas  each  one  of  God's  heirs  has  a  right 
to  the  entire  inheritance.  Do  not  turn  away  from  the  phrase, 
of  the  saints.  In  the  Bible  the  saints  are  not  impossible, 
unreal,  soft-minded  folks ;  the  saints  are  the  redeemed — 
all  of  God's  people  are  included,  no  matter  how  feeble  their 
efforts  to  follow  him. 

Twelfth  Week,  Third  Day 

We  are  bound  to  give  thanks  to  God  always  for  you, 
brethren,  even  as  it  is  meet,  for  that  your  faith  groweth 
exceedingly,  and  the  love  of  each  one  of  you  all  toward 
one  another  aboundeth;  so  that  we  ourselves  glory  in 
you  in  the  churches  of  God  for  your  patience  and  faith  in 
all  your  persecutions  and  in  the  afflictions  which  ye 
endure. — II.  Thess.  i :  3,  4. 

Note  that  the  word  zve  is  editorial  merely;  Paul  is  speak- 
ing of  himself.  Paul  gave — without  knowing  it — an  indica- 
tion of  at  least  four  of  the  qualities  for  which  his  own  life 
was  remarkable.  In  the  first  eleven  words  three  of  these 
qualities  are  recorded.  First,  there  was  the  fact  that  duty 
always  appealed  to  him ;  second,  he  was  humble ;  third,  he 
was  unselfish.  Why  are  these  qualities  attractive?  How 
often  is  the  object  of  thanksgiving  some  one  else  than  the 
one  who  gives  the  thanks?  And  how  many  men  who  had 
done  as  much  work  for  other  people  as  Paul  had  done  would 
give  all  the  credit  to  some  one  else,  leaving  themselves 
entirely  out  of  account?  Now  read  a  few  words  more  in 
the  sentence  and  find  the  hint  that  to  Paul  duty  was  pleasure. 
Another  word,  in  the  final  clause,  helps  the  impression ;  what 
is  it?  What,  in  Paul's  opinion,  were  the  things  most  worth 
while  in  life? 

113 


IXII-4]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

Twelfth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

I  thank  my  God  always  concerning  you,  for  the  grace 
of  God  which  was  given  you  in  Christ  Jesus;  that  in 
everything  ye  were  enriched  in  him,  in  all  utterance  and 
all  knowledge;  even  as  the  testimony  of  Christ  was  con- 
firmed in  you:  so  that  ye  come  behind  in  no  gift;  waiting 
for  the  revelation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  .  .  .  God 
is  faithful,  through  whom  ye  were  called  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. — I  Cor.  i:  4-7,  g. 

Ask  a  group  of  a  dozen  Christians  to  tell  their  chief 
reason  for  thanksgiving.  What  would  they  be  likely  to  say? 
What  are  the  first  things  that  come  to  your  mind  as  you 
think  of  reasons  for  thanksgiving?  Now  note  what  came 
first  into  Paul's  thoughts.  He  had  neither  time  nor  tempta- 
tion to  speak  of  things  that  so  many  people  think  are  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  a  pleasurable  existence:  These  were  good, 
but  there  were  so  many  other  better  things  that  he  turned 
his  attention  at  once  to  these  things.  There  was  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth.  Why  is  this  a  good  thing?  Then  there 
was  the  desire  and  the  ability  to  pass  on  to  others  this  knowl- 
edge. How  many  Christians  think  of  this  as  a  privilege? 
There  was  the  assurance  that  Christ  would  help  them  in 
their  efforts  to  please  him.  Finally,  there  was  the  knowledge 
that  God,  who  cannot  lie,  would  fulfill  his  promise  to  his 
people,  the  promise  that  they  should  share  the  good  things 
that  Christ  gives  to  his  own. 

What  do  you  think  of  Paul's  way  of  estimating  values? 

Twelfth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

Woe  is  unto  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel. — I  Cor.  9 :  16. 

I  thank  my  God,  I  say,  for  your  cooperation  in  spreading 
the  Good  News. — Phil,  i :  4,  5  (Weymouth). 

Why  should  a  Christian  'be  thankful  that  he  can  tell  the 
Good  News  to  others?  How  universal  is  this  feeling  of 
thanksgiving  among  Christians?  Why  is  there  so  little  per- 
sonal, man  to  man,  testimony  for  Christ?  What  would  be 
the  result  if,  in  any  community,  one  Christian  in  every  ten 
should  make  it  a  habit  to  tell  to  one  person  each  day  what 
Christ  means  to  him? 

114 


REASONS  FOR  THANKSGIVING        [XII-6] 

Twelfth  Week,  Sixth  Day 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  mercies  and  God  of  all  comfort; 
who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  affliction,  that  we  may  be 
able  to  comfort  them  that  are  in  any  affliction,  through 
the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of 
God.— II  Cor.  1 :  3,  4. 

It  was  Paul's  custom  in  his  letters  to  give,  immediately  fol- 
lowing the  words  of  address,  a  message  of  thanksgiving. 
Usually  his  thanksgiving  was  for  others ;  here  he  spoke  first 
of  himself.  But  was  this  an  indication  of  selfishness?  He 
was  thankful  because  God  had  comforted  him  in  his  afflic- 
tion. Why?  That  he  might  comfort  others!  Is  it  worth 
while  to  experience  privation  and  suffering  in  order  that 
we  may  sympathize  with  others?  If  we  can  have  God's  com- 
fort in  our  trouble,  as  Paul  had  it,  we  can  be  of  real  use  to 
others  in  their  time  of  need.  People  everywhere  are  hungry 
for  comfort;  eagerly  they  turn  to  one  who  can  comfort 
them.  A  stranger  who  visited  a  city  church  which  was 
crowded  to  the  doors  wondered  why  the  people  came,  because 
half  of  those  present  could  not  hear  the  speaker's  feebly 
uttered  words.  He  was  more  surprised  when  he  learned  that 
the  house  was  always  full.  "Why  do  they  come?"  he  asked. 
"If  you  were  in  trouble,  and  our  pastor  called  on  you,  or 
wrote  to  you,  you  would  not  ask  that  question  again,"  was 
the  reply. 

Which  would  you  prefer,  the  power  to  move  thousands 
for  the  moment  by  your  eloquence,  or  the  ability  to  comfort 
those  that  mourn? 

Twelfth  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeakably  precious  gift. — II 
Cor.  9:    15    (Weymouth). 

Ordinarily  Paul  did  not  lack  words  to  express  his  thoughts. 
But  there  were  occasions  when  even  he  was  dumb.  Once  he 
started  to  describe  the  love  of  God,  but  he  gave  up  the 
attempt ;  "it  passeth  knowledge,"  was  all  that  he  could  say. 
Again,  when  he  was  speaking  of  God's  gift  in  Christ,  words 
failed  him.     He  could  only  call  the  Gift  unspeakable.     Then 

115 


[XII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

he  paused  in  eloquent  silence.  Everything  can  be  described 
but  that  which  is  boundless.  There  is  but  one  way  to  know 
God's  unspeakably  precious  Gift:  those  who  give  Christ  the 
chance  he  wants  to  make  over  their  lives  will  begin  to  under- 
stand him.  To  others  who  ask  for  a  definition  of  Christ  the 
only  possible  answer  is,  "Come  and  see !" 


COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Always  Paul  was  thankful  for  the  privilege  of  telling  to 
others  the  good  news  of  Christ's  life  and  death  and  resur- 
rection. We  say  that  his  was  a  pecuHar  privilege.  Do  we 
really  think  so?  Then  why  do  we  not  take  advantage  of  our 
opportunities  to  tell  the  same  story?  Are  we  to  rest  content 
with  congratulating  others  on  their  rare  opportunity  to  tell 
their  friends  of  him  who  will  fill  their  lives  with  the  best 
things?  We  are  so  slow  to  tell  the  story,  although  right 
at  our  elbow  are  those  who  have  never  heard  it.  A  city 
girl,  visiting  in  the  mountains  of  Georgia,  found  one  of  these 
hungry  hearts  when  she  mentioned  the  Saviour  to  a  young 
girl.  "He  ain't  never  been  roun'  these  here  parts,"  was  her 
wondering  answer.  "I  ain't  never  hcarn  about  him.  You 
tell  me !"  And  when  the  story  was  simply  told,  the  mountain 
girl  cried,  "Oh,  I  wish  my  Saviour  would  come  to  me !" 

Unless  zve  are  thankful  for  the  privilege  of  passing  on  the 
good  news  to  those  who  have  never  heard  it,  or  to  those  who 
have  never  heeded  what  they  have  heard,  there  is  something 
radically  wrong  with  us. 

It  is  related  of  a  man  who  lived  centuries  ago  that  when- 
ever he  received  a  gift  for  the  charitable  institution  with 
which  he  was  connected,  he  exclaimed,  "Deo  Gratia" — Thanks 
to  God.  His  name  was  Felix,  but  in  the  course  of  years 
even  the  children  came  to  know  him  as  Brother  Deo  Gratia 
— Brother  Thankful. 

In  like  manner  Paul  might  have  been  called  Brother  Thank- 
ful by  the  early  Christians.  He  was  continually  breaking 
out  in  words  of  thanksgiving  and  praise  to  God  for  some 
blessing  received  and  appreciated.  Twenty-eight  times  in  his 
epistles  he  used  the  words,  "I  thank."  More  than  twenty  times 
in  his  messages  to  the  churches  he  called  on  the  Christians 
to  join  him  in  thanksgiving. 

ii6 


REASONS  FOR  THANKSGIVING        [XII-c] 

It  is  not  difficult  to  picture  Paul.  He  had  a  strong  face, 
even  if  his  bodily  presence  was  weak.  And  surely  it  was  a 
kindly,  smiling,  beaming  face  to  which  anyone,  child  or 
man,   would   be  attracted  instantly. 

Paul  would  have  enjoyed  going  with  a  modern  Christian 
worker  who  went  one  Sunday  afternoon  to  a  home  for 
invalids,  to  hold  a  brief  service.  An  eager  congregation 
awaited  him ;  there  were  perhaps  sixty  men  and  women  in 
wheeled  chairs.  "What  a  gloomy  atmosphere  for  a  service," 
some  one  said  when  he  was  told  of  the  gathering.  But  he 
was  wrong.  There  was  no  gloom;  there  was  brightness. 
The  faces  of  the  blind  were  ahght,  the  hands  of  the  cripples 
were  trembling  with  anticipation,  the  attitude  of  nearly  all 
indicated  expectation  of  something  good  to  come  to  them 
from  God's  Book  which  would  stay  with  them  through  the 
week. 

It  was  a  glorious  half  hour  for  the  leader,  but  it  was  made 
still  more  glorious  by  the  words  of  the  people  as  they  gave 
personal  greetings  before  being  wheeled  by  their  attendants 
to  their  own  rooms.  "How  thankful  I  am  for  the  Bible !" 
one  helpless  woman  said.  "I  like  to  think  of  God  with  me!" 
said  a  blind  man.  There  were  many  similar  messages.  God 
had  been  good  to  them,  and  they  were  thankful. 

Did  you  ever  hear  someone  speak  of  the  impossibility,  for 
him,  of  entering  with  heartiness  into  a  service  of  praise  and 
rejoicing  because  the  year  has  brought  to  him  so  many  per- 
plexities, sorrows,  losses  ?  Tell  him  to  stop  thinking  about 
these,  and  to  rejoice  because  of  the  things  that  have  not  been 
taken  from  him  and  the  things  he  has  not  suffered.  Remind 
him  of  the  words  spoken  by  Charles  Dickens  when  he 
learned  of  the  sad  plight  of  Laura  Bridgman,  the  child  who 
was  blind  and  deaf  and  dumb :  "Ye  who  have  eyes  and  see 
not,  and  have  ears  and  hear  not ;  ye  who  are  as  the  hypo- 
crites of  sad  countenances,  and  disfigure  your  faces  that  you 
may  seem  unto  men  to  fast ;  learn  healthy  cheerfulness,  and 
mild  contentment,  from  the  deaf  and  dumb  and  blind.  Self- 
deluded  saints  with  gloomy  brows,  this  sightless,  earless, 
voiceless  child  may  teach  you  lessons  you  would  do  well  to 
follow."  Let  the  thankless  man  dwell  a  little  while  on  such 
thoughts,  and  see  how  he  will  begin  to  remember  blessings 
he  has  forgotten,  until  he  is  readier  to  give  thanksgiving  to 
God  than  he  has  ever  been  before. 

117 


[XII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

There  is  need  of  great  care,  however,  when  we  think  of 
those  who  are  unfortunate  as  an  incitement  to  our  thanks- 
giving. There  is  danger  lest  we  become  Pharisees  in  our 
thanksgiving,  emphasizing  our  own  good  fortune  until  we 
feel  like  thanking  God  that  we  are  not  as  other  men  are. 
Do  we  see  a  blind  man?  The  natural  thought  is,  "How  glad 
I  am  that  I  have  eyes."  We  see  one  who  is  in  the  depths  of 
poverty,  and  we  feel  grateful  that  we  can  live  in  comfort. 
Such  thoughts  are  good  in  themselves,  but  there  is  need  to 
guard  them  lest  nominal  thanksgiving  degenerate  into  selfish 
carelessness  of  the  wants  and  needs  of  others.  There  are 
people  who  sympathized  at  one  time  with  the  poor  and  un- 
fortunate, but  who  have  been  led  by  increasing  prosperity 
to  think  so  much  of  the  many  ways  in  which  their  lot  is 
superior  to  that  of  others  that  in  time  their  neighbors  became 
mere  object  lessons  by  which  to  impress  upon  themselves  and 
others  their  own  good   fortune. 

Paul  was  saved  from  any  such  error.  He  was  thankful  for 
the  good  things  he  had,  but  he  was  even  more  thankful  for 
the  good  things  others  had.  By  practicing  in  his  own  thanks- 
giving his  own  teaching,  "Look  not  every  man  on  his  own 
things  but  every  man  on  the  things  of  others,"  he  added  to 
his  own  happiness  so  that  he  bubbled  over  with  thanksgiving. 

It  is  noteworthy  also  that  Paul's  thanksgiving  did  not  easily 
expend  itself.  He  was  not  one  of  those  who  feel  that  when 
they  have  expressed  their  gratitude  once,  there  is  no  neces- 
sity to  bring  the  matter  up  a  second  time.  Paul  taught  by 
his  own  words  and  by  his  deeds  that  real  gratitude  lasts. 

The  biographer  of  Clara  Barton  tells  how  this  devoted 
woman,  on  the  battlefield,  in  the  absence  of  a  surgeon,  saved 
the  life  of  a  soldier  who  was  bleeding  to  death  from  a 
wound  inflicted  by  a  bursting  shell.  An  hour  after  dressing 
his  injuries,  when  she  had  forgotten  the  occurrence,  she  was 
stopped  near  his  cot  by  a  feeble  pull  at  her  dress.  Stooping 
over  the  cot  she  was  passing,  she  saw  the  man  whom  she 
had  saved.  The  tears  were  sliding  quietly  down  his  brown, 
dust-covered  cheeks  as  he  whispered,  "You  saved  my  life." 
Nothing  more  was  said;  he  assured  her  he  wanted  nothing 
but  to  thank  her.  Again,  after  an  hour,  the  same  thing 
occurred,  "And  so,  day  after  day,  until  he  was  removed," 
Miss  Barton  wrote,  "whenever  I  came  within  reach  of  him 
I    could    feel   my   dress    slipping   gently   through   his    fingers, 

ii8 


REASONS  FOR  THANKSGIVING        [XII-c] 

and,  as  often  as  he  dared,  he  arrested  me  with  the  same 
four  Httle  words,  'You  saved  my  hfe!'"  He  never  said 
anything  but  this.  Weeks  after  his  departure  for  the  hDS- 
pital,  Miss  Barton  heard  a  rap  at  her  door.  On  opening  it 
siie  saw  the  same  man,  this  time  on  crutches.  As  before  he 
spoke  but  four  words,  "You  saved  my  life!"  and  limped 
avva3\ 

An  attractive  story  of  feudal  times  tells  of  a  knight  who 
felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  deliver  his  people  from  a  cruel 
duke,  a  usurper.  At  first  the  knight  had  no  followers,  and 
the  statement  of  his  purpose  to  displace  the  duke  seemed 
absurd.  But,  one  after  another,  men  were  won  to  his  banner 
until  he  had  sturdy,  dependable  leaders  for  the  forces  he 
needed.  Once  he  came  to  the  rescue  of  a  man  who  was  in 
the  hands  of  robbers;  delivered,  the  man  dedicated  his  life 
to  the  knight.  Later  the  knight  found  one  who  was  fleeing 
from  the  duke,  and  cared  for  him  and  assured  him  of  safety; 
this  man,  also,  in  thankfulness,  made  known  his  purpose  to 
attach  himself  to  the  knight.  A  third  man,  saved  from 
dire  disaster,  became  his  follower.  And  through  all  the 
strenuous  times  that  followed  these  men  had  but  one  idea, 
to  show  by  deeds  of  daring,  by  sacrifice  of  self,  by  regard 
for  the  wishes  of  their  chosen  commander,  their  gratitude 
to  him  for  his  gift  of  life  to  them.  They  did  not  say  to  their 
preserver,  "You  saved  my  life,"  but  their  actions  spoke  for 
them. 

Like  Miss  Barton's  soldier  and  the  knight's  companions, 
Paul  did  not  believe  in  stopping  with  one  expression  of 
thanks.  He  assured  the  Thessalonians,  "We  give  thanks  to 
God  always  for  you  all."  To  the  Corinthians  he  wrote,  "I 
cease  not  to  give  thanks  for  you."  Then  what  are  we  to 
conclude  as  to  the  number  of  times  he  thanked  God  for  the 
gift  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus?  He  wrote,  simply,  "Thanks  be 
imto  God  for  his  unspeakably  precious  gift" — but  the  utter- 
ance of  his  thanks  must  have  been  repeated  times  without 
number. 

For  Paul  had  "the  habit  of  thankfulness" — the  cultivation 
of  a  disposition  of  fundamental,  intelligent,  trusting  optimism 
based  on  faith  in  God.  Everything  strengthened  the  habit, 
even  the  trying  experiences  of  which  he  told  so  vividly:  "In 
journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  rivers,  in  perils  of  robbers 
.     .     .     in  perils  in   the  city,   in  perils  in  the  wilderness,   in 

119 


[XII-s]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

perils  in  the  sea   ...     in  labor  and  travail."    ...    In  every- 
thing he  gave  thanks. 

What  is  our  thanksgiving  to  Christ  like?  Is  it  a  mere 
form,  easily  satisfied  by  the  utterance  of  a  few  words,  or 
is  it  a  vital  matter  that  controls  all  our  speech  and  all  our 
actions?  Christ  saved  our  life,  he  is  our  life;  so  we  are  not 
our  own.  Both  words  and  deeds  belong  to  him.  "Giving 
thanks  always  for  all  things"  is  Paul's  inclusive  way  of 
expressing  the  Christian's  duty  and  privilege. 

We  thank  thee,  O  God,  that  thou  think  est  of  us  in  our 
needs  and  art  able  to  supply  our  wants.  We  thank  thee  that 
we  can  ask  thee  even  for  daily  bread  and  know  that  we 
shall  have  it.  We  thank  thee  for  the  health  and  strength  thou 
givest  so  that  we  are  able  to  work  for  our  daily  bread.  While 
we  seek  for  the  supply  of  our  bodily  wants,  may  we  also 
seek  for  supplies  for  our  spiritual  needs.  And  when  we 
have  received  rich  gifts  from  thee,  may  zve  be  glad  to  share 
them  zvith  others,  who  need  thee.  We  ask  this  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

//  you  had  nothing  to  depend  on  but  the  extracts  from  the 
epistles  which  form  the  subjects  of  this  week's  readings,  how 
complete  a  picture  of  Paul  would  it  be  possible  to  construct? 

How  many  of  Paul's  characteristics  are  revealed  in  the 
verses  of  this  week's  readings? 

Why  is  thanksgiving  an  essential  element  in  the  life  of  the 
Christian? 


120 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Life  That  Lasts  Forever 

DAILY  READINGS 

Thirteenth  Week,  First  Day 

All  things  are  yours;  whether  .  .  .  life,  or  death, 
.     .     .    or  things  to  come. — I  Cor.  3:  21,  22. 

Who  died  for  us,  that,  whether  we  wake  or  sleep,  we 
should  live  together  with  him. — I  Thess.  5:  10. 

Faithful  is  the  saying:  For  if  we  died  with  him,  we  shall 
also  live  with  him. — II  Tim.  2:  11. 

What  is  your  frank  opinion  about  the  catalogue  Paul  makes 
of  the  Christian's  possessions?  How  far  are  you  ready  to 
agree  with  him?  What  makes  this  life  and  the  things  we 
enjoy  here  worth  while?  Why  does  life  pall  on  so  many 
people?  One  who  was  speaking  of  the  suicide  of  a  man 
who  had  the  world  at  his  feet,  said  that  he  had  never  learned 
how  essential  Christ's  friendship  is  to  one  who  would  enjoy 
life.  What  do  you  think  of  his  explanation?  How  can 
death  as  well  as  life  be  reckoned  a  cherished  possession? 
Christ  teaches  us  that  the  life  after  death  will  be  wonder- 
fully worth  while.  If  we  believe  him,  why  should  we  not 
feel  that  the  means  of  transition  from  the  life  here  to  the 
life  over  yonder  is  a  boon  to  be  welcomed  when  the  time 
comes  to  make  the  journey?  Here  is  a  man  who  has  long 
dreamed  of  making  his  first  trip  to  Europe.  What  shall  be 
thought  of  him  if  he  looks  on  the  vessel  that  would  carrj-- 
him  over  as  an  enemy  to  be  dreaded?  And  why  should  not 
every  Christian  feel  as  did  one  who  was  about  to  die,  "Why, 
death  is  no  more  than  going  into  the  next  room !"  Death  is 
only  the  passage  to  the  room  which  Christ  has  made  ready 
for  those  who  love  him,  because  he  wants  them  to  live  with 
him  forever. 

121 


tXIII-2]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

What  is  the  significance  of  the  present  tense  used  in 
Christ's  promise  in  John  5:  24? 

What  is  meant  by  the  words,  "hath  passed  out  of  death 
into  life"f 

Thirteenth  Week,  Second  Day 

But  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorrup- 
tion,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on  immortality,  then 
shall  come  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is 
swallowed  up  in  victory.  O  death,  where  is  thy  victory? 
O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin; 
and  the  power  of  sin  is  the  law:  but  thanks  be  to  God, 
who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
—I  Cor.  15:  54-57. 

When  John  Quincy  Adams  was  eighty  years  old  he  met 
on  a  Boston  street  an  old  friend  who  shook  his  trembling 
hand  and  said :  "Good  morning !  and  how  is  John  Quincy 
A-dams  today?"  "Thank  you!"  was  the  reply,  "John  Quincy 
Adams  himself  is  v/ell,  sir,  quite  well,  I  thank  j^ou.  But  the 
house  in  which  he  lives  at  present  is  becoming  dilapidated. 
It  is  tottering  upon  its  foundation.  Time  and  the  seasons 
have  nearly  destroyed  it.  Its  roof  is  pretty  well  worn  out. 
Its  walls  are  much  shattered,  and  it  trembles  with  every 
wind.  The  old  tenement  is  becoming  almost  uninhabitable, 
and  I  think  John  Quincy  Adams  will  have  to  move  out  of  it 
soon;  but  he  himself  is  quite  well,  sir,  quite  well,"  Not  long 
afterv/ard  he  had  his  second  and  fatal  stroke  of  paralysis. 
"This  is  the  last  of  earth,"  he  said;  "I  am  content." 

Thirteenth  Week,  Third  Day 

If  we  have  only  hoped  in  Christ  in  this  life,  we  are  of 
all  men  most  pitiable. 

But  now  hath  Christ  been  raised  from  the  dead,  the 
first  fruits  of  them  that  are  asleep.  For  since  by  man 
came  death,  by  man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  so  also  in  Christ  shall  all 
be  made  alive.  But  each  in  his  own  order:  Christ  the 
first  fruits;  then  they  that  are  Christ's,  at  his  coming. 
Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he, shall  deliver  up  the  king- 
dom to  God,  even  the  Father;  when  he  shall  have  abolished 
all  rule  and  all  authority  and  power.     For  he  must  reign, 

122 


LIFE  THAT  LASTS  FOREVER         [XIII-4] 

till  he  hath  put  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet.  The  last 
enemy  that  shall  be  abolished  is  death.  For,  He  put  all 
things  in  subjection  under  his  feet.  But  when  he  saith, 
All  things  are  put  in  subjection,  it  is  evident  that  he  is 
excepted  who  did  subject  all  things  unto  him. — I  Cor. 
15:   19-27. 

What  would  life  mean  to  you  if  you  thought  that  death 
would  be  the  end  instead  of  the  passage  to  a  larger,  richer, 
more  glorious  existence?  What  inspiration  would  there  be 
for  the  daily  struggle  with  evil  and  the  effort  to  make  the 
most  of  oneself  if  it  were  impossible  to  feel  that  every  con- 
quest of  evil  makes  one  better  fitted  to  enjoy  the  blessings 
Christ  has  promised  to  his  people?  What  is  the  meaning  of 
Paul's  decisive,  triumphant  assurance  that  this  life  is  not  the 
end? 

Read  John,  chapter  14,  in  the  light  of  today's  Scripture  pas- 
sage. What  did  Jesus  mean  when  he  said  he  is  the  way  to 
God? 

Thirteenth  Week,  Fourth  Day 

But  God,  being  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  where- 
with he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  through  our 
trespasses,  made  us  alive  together  with  Christ  (by  grace 
have  ye  been  saved),  and  raised  us  up  with  him,  and  made 
us  to  sit  with  him  in  the  heavenly  places,  in  Christ  Jesus: 
that  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  show  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace  in  kindness  toward  us  in  Christ  Jesus. 
— Eph.  2:  4-7. 

Analyze  this  wonderful  passage,  which  tells  the  whole  story 
of  salvation.  Note  the  reference  to  the  time  when  we  lived 
in  the  dark.  Why  did  God  pay  any  attention  to  us  when  we 
had  chosen  to  go  so  far  from  him?  What  did  he  do  for  us? 
How  was  our  conversion  a  more  wonderful  resurrection  than 
the  resurrection  of  Lazarus?  How  have  we  been  made  to 
sit  with  Christ  in  heavenly  places?  It  would  be  natural  to 
interpret  this  part  of  the  passage  as  something  to  be  fulfiled 
in  the  future.  Why  did  Paul  use  the  past  tense?  What  new 
content  does  Christ  give  to  life  that  makes  it  seem  like 
heaven?  How  do  the  words  of  Browning  become  true  to 
the  one  who  lives  with  Christ  ? 

123 


rXIII-5]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

"I  find  earth  not  gray,  but  rosy; 

Heaven    not    grim,    but    fair    of    hue. 
Do  I  stoop?     I  pluck  a  posy. 
Do  I  stand  and  stare?    All's  blue." 

And  how  does  the  last  clause  of  the  Scripture  passage 
emphasize  this  message  of  the  poet? 

"Do   your   joys    with    age   diminish? 
When  mine  fail  me,  I'll  complain. 
Must  in  death  your  daylight  finish? 
My  sun  sets  to  rise  again." 

Thirteenth  Week,  Fifth  Day 

But  we  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  con- 
cerning them  that  fall  asleep;  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as 
the  rest,  who  have  no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus 
died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  that  are  fallen 
asleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him.  For  this  we 
say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we  that  are 
alive,  that  are  left  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  shall  in 
no  wise  precede  them  that  are  fallen  asleep.  For  the 
Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven,  with  a  shout, 
with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 
God:  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first;  then  we  that 
are  alive,  that  are  left,  shall  together  with  them  be  caught 
up  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air:  and  so  shall 
we  ever  be  with  the  Lord. — I  Thess.  4:  13-17. 

In  some  cemeteries  it  is  customary  to  inscribe  "Our  home" 
on  the  stones  erected  over  the  graves.  Why  should  the  Chris- 
tian feel  otherwise  about  the  tomb?  Where  is  our  home? 
All  who  believe  in  Christ  shall  be  called  to  Hve  with  him. 
First  those  who  have  died  before  his  coming  shall  rise,  then 
those  who  are  still  alive  at  his  coming  shall  be  summoned  to 
meet  him.  No  man  can  know  to  which  class  he  will  belong. 
But  for  all  alike  there  is  the  absolute  certainty  of  enjoying 
the  companionship  of  the  Lord  forever. 

Read  in  Revelation  7:  14-17  the  description  of  the  joys  of 
eternal  life  with  Christ. 

Thirteenth  Week,  Sixth  Day 
For  I  am  already  being  offered,  and  the  time  of  my 
124 


LIFE  THAT  LASTS  FOREVER        [XIII-7] 

departure  is  come.  I  have  fought  the  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  the  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith:  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  to  me  at  that 
day;  and  not  to  me  only,  but  also  to  all  them  that  have 
loved  his  appearing. — II  Tim.  4:  6-8. 

Paul  likened  himself  to  a  drink  offering  which  was  being 
poured  out.  He  knew  that  the  close  of  his  earthly  life  could 
not  be  far  away.  How  did  he  feel  as  he  looked  back  on 
his  years  of  service  of  Christ?  Was  he  justified  in  feeling 
that  he  had  tried  to  do  his  best?  What  do  the  three  figures 
which  are  employed — the  fight,  the  course,  the  crown — • 
mean?  What  right  had  he  to  feel  that  a  crown  of  victory 
awaited  him?  How  can  we  be  sure  of  receiving  a  like  crown 
for  ourselves?  How  should  this  assurance  make  us  feel  in 
the  face  of  death?  Is  the  love  of  Christ's  appearing  of  which 
Paul  spoke  consistent  with  the  fear  of  death? 

Thirteenth  Week,  Seventh  Day 

Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall 
tribulation,  or  anguish,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  naked- 
ness, or  peril,  or  sword?  .  .  .  Nay,  in  all  these  things 
we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us. 
For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor 
angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  things  present,  nor  things 
to  come,  nor  powers,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other 
creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Rom.  8:  35,  37-39. 

Can  life  bring  to  the  Christian  any  experience  that  will  be 
too  severe,  too  trying  for  Christ's  help  to  avail?  Paul  insisted 
that  this  was  impossible.  Had  he  the  right  to  speak  so  posi- 
tively? Think  what  he  had  gone  through.  Then  let  him 
who  says  that  his  difficulties  are  peculiar,  that  Christ  cannot 
help  him  to  overcome,  hide  his  head  for  shame.  Is  anything 
too  hard  for  the  Son  of  God?  And  he  is  on  the  side  of  those 
who  will  be  on  his  side.  His  love  fills  the  heart  with  glad- 
ness and  makes  the  life  one  round  of  satisfaction.  Those 
who  keep  company  with  the  Master  are  lifted  above  the  dis- 
appointments of  Hfe,  into  the  supreme  satisfaction  of  those 
who  say  in  confident  trust,  "Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but 
thee  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  beside  theel"" 

125 


rXIII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

Paul's  language  was  the  language  of  certainty.  He  knew. 
He  was  persuaded.  Christ  was  his  and  he  was  Christ's ; 
and  he  was  conqueror  through  Christ  of  all  the  things  in  life 
or  in  death  that  might  have  had  power  to  disturb  him.  What 
more  could  he  ask?  What  more  can  any  Christian  ask?  No 
condemnation !  No  separation !  For  it  is  given  to  us  to  lean 
on  the  love  of  him  who  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come,  the 
Almighty,  who  says,  "And  they  shall  be  mine  .  .  .  and  I 
will  spare  them  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  that  serveth 
him." 

COMMENT  FOR  THE  WEEK 

Norman  Duncan  has  told  of  the  death  of  a  rough  teamster 
in  the  Minnesota  woods,  whose  work  it  had  been  to  haul  logs 
from  the  woods  to  the  landing  at  the  lake.  Frank  Higgins, 
the  "lumber  jack's  sky  pilot,"  sat  by  his  side. 

"I've  a  heavy  load,  pilot — a  heavy  load,"  the  dying  man 
said.     "Do  you  think  I  can  make  the  grade?" 

"With  help,  Alex,"  was  the  reply. 

"You  mean  that  I  need  another  team  of  leaders?"  he  asked. 

"The  Great  Leader,  Alex." 

"Oh,  I  know  what  you  mean,"  said  the  teamster.  "You 
mean  that  I  need  the  help  of  your  Christ." 

And  then  Frank  Higgins  told  the  story  of  Him  who  was 
waiting  to  help  the  dying  man,  told  it  simply  and  effectively. 

The  man  said  Httle  at  the  moment,  but  later  in  the  night, 
just  before  he  drew  his  last  breath,  he  whispered  in  the 
pilot's  ear: 

"Tell  the  boys  I  made  the  grade." 

Thus  he  entered  into  eternal  life. 

How  do  we  know  he  did? 

Christ  is  a  perfect  workman.  He  came  to  earth  to  accom- 
plish certain  definite  things.  Shall  we  say  that  he  did  accom- 
plish some  of  them,  but  that  other  things  were  left  undone — 
that  he  conquered  temptation,  and  disease,  and  suffering,  but 
did  not  conquer  death?  "The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  abol- 
ished is  death" ;  and  he  overcame  it.  It  was  our  enemy,  he 
made  it  his  enemy.  In  his  triumph  we  triumph,  because  he  is 
ours  and  we  are  his,  and  we  now  can  cry  in  exultation,  "O 
death,  where  is  thy  victory?    O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?" 

When  Paul  said,  "If  we  have  only  hoped  in  Christ  in  this 
126 


LIFE  THAT  LASTS  FOREVER        [XIII-cl 

life,  we  are  of  all  men  most  pitiable,"  he  must  have  thought 
of  his  own  experience  since  his  conversion.  There  was  joy- 
in  following  Christ,  but  there  was  hardship,  and  suffering, 
and  tribulation.  He  thought  nothing  of  these  things,  because 
of  the  hope  of  dwelling  with  Christ,  and  of  winning  others 
from  death  to  life.  But  what  if  there  were  no  resurrection? 
And,  if  there  is  no  resurrection,  what  of  the  disappointments, 
the  vexations,  the  difficulties  that  come  to  us  day  by  day? 
Could  we  bear  them?    But,  courage!    There  is  a  resurrection. 

When  Paul  learned  that  there  were  some  in  the  Church 
who  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  he  declared  that 
they  were  cutting  the  foundation  from  under  their  religion. 
If  we  cannot  look  forward  to  resurrection,  then  Christ  is  not 
risen  but  is  still  in  the  grave.  Faith  crumbles  at  once,  and 
preaching  is  vain.  Moreover,  those  whom  death  has  taken 
from  us  have  perished.  Against  this  hopeless  view  of  life 
Paul  earnestly  set  himself:  the  Christian  must  not  deprive 
himself  of  all  the  joys  of  life.  Christ  is  risen,  the  dead 
shall  rise,  our  faith  is  not  vain. 

Then  why  should  death  be  such  a  distasteful  idea  to  us? 
Christ  died  that  he  "might  deliver  all  them  who  through 
fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage," 
(Hebrews  2:  15).    Fear  of  death  is  doubt  of  Christ. 

There  is  no  way  to  escape  death.  But  why  should  we  wish 
to  escape  it,  when  it  is  but  the  passage  from  this  world  to 
the  presence  of  God?  No  death,  no  glory.  Then  death  is 
our  friend !  If  we  remind  ourselves  continually  that  what 
we  call  death  is  only  the  gateway  to  life,  our  thought  will 
more  and  more  be  given  with  joy  to  the  anticipations  of  the 
glorious  future.  Dwight  L.  Moody  learned  this  lesson.  He 
said : 

"I  like  to  think  of  the  time  when  the  dead  shall  rise  from 
their  graves.  We  read  of  this  in  what  we  call  the  'burial 
service.'  It  is  an  unfortunate  expression.  Paul  never  talked 
of  'burial.'  He  said  the  body  was  'sown' — 'sown  in  corrup- 
tion,' 'sown  in  weakness,'  'sown  in  dishonor,*  'sown  a  natural 
body.'  If  I  bury  a  bushel  of  wheat,  I  never  expect  to  see 
it  again,  but  if  I  sow  it,  I  expect  results.  Thank  God,  our 
friends  are  not  buried ;   they  are  only  sown  !" 

So,  when  the  blinds  are  drawn  and  the  bell  is  muffled  and 
all  the  house  is  still  because  one  who  has  been  sick  has  closed 
his  eyes  for  the  last  time  on  earth ;  when  eyes  are  burning 

127 


[XIII-c]  THE  CHRISTIAN  ACCORDING  TO  PAUL 

with  tears  and  hearts  are  heavy  because  of  fearful  anticipa- 
tion of  years  spent  without  the  presence  of  one  dear  to  us, 
let  the  words  of  Christ  sink  into  our  hearts,  "He  is  not 
dead,  but  sleepeth,"  The  life  of  those  who  love  Jesus  does 
not  end  when  their  eyes  close  in  death ;  the  eyes  will  open 
again  to  see  the  glory  of  the  King.  Some  day  our  eyes,  too, 
will  close  in  sleep,  and  we  shall  awaken  where  he  is  and 
where  are  our  loved  ones  who  have  gone  before  us. 

From  China  comes  the  story  of  Li,  a  native  Christian, 
who  had  faith  hke  this  in  the  hour  of  death.  The  Boxers 
were  about  to  kill  him,  with  his  family.  The  father  knelt 
with  both  hands  outstretched  to  heaven.  "Father,  if  you 
want  us  to  go" — he  began.  But  his  sentence  was  never  fin- 
ished. His  spirit  went  to  God  while  he  was  yet  speaking. 
In  like  manner  Chao  Hsi  Mao  and  his  family  were  bound 
and  placed  in  a  cart  by  order  of  a  Boxer  chief,  who  directed 
that  they  be  taken  away  to  death.  As  the  cart  took  them 
to  the  place  of  execution,  they  sang : 

"He  leadeth  me ;  O  blessed  thought ! 
O    words    with   heavenly   comfort    fraught !" 
and  again : 

"E'en  death's  cold  wave  I  will  not  flee. 
Since  God  through  Jordan  leadeth  me." 

It  does  not  seem  a  far  cry  from  this  modern  Christian's 
experience  to  the  experience  of  Stephen,  the  witness  for 
Christ  in  whose  martyrdom  Paul  had  a  part.  What  a  peace- 
ful conclusion  to  the  story  of  bloodshed  is  given  in  the  words, 
"He  fell  asleep !"  There  was  no  uncertainty  in  Stephen's 
heart  as  to  the  future;  he  was  merely  answering  the  call  to 
leave  the  earth  with  its  service  for  heaven  and  its  larger 
service.  Having  begun  here  the  life  that  was  to  be  continued 
"over  yonder,"  he  gladly  welcomed  the  sleep  from  which  he 
was  to  awake  in  the  presence  of  his  Lord. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  the  risen  life  becomes  ours  only 
after  the  death  of  the  body.  It  is  ours  now — the  life  of  Christ, 
given  to  us  as  we  confess  sin  and  as  we  struggle  against  sin. 
Then  let  us  not  delay  to  enter  on  our  inheritance  as  sons  of 
God,  turning  our  backs  on  the  sin  that  must  not  be  given 
even  the  smallest  corner  of  our  hearts  and  revelling  in  the 
faith  and  hope  and  love  that  belong  to  those  who  have  eternal 
life. 

128 


LIFE  THAT  LASTS  FOREVER         [XIII-s] 

Faith  and  hope  and  love!  All  that  is  worth  while  in  life 
comes  from  these,  even  though  in  incompleteness.  So,  all 
the  joy  of  heaven  will  be  in  these;  but  it  will  be  complete. 
The  doubts  that  darken  faith  and  the  clouds  that  obscure 
hope  and  the  sin  that  opposes  love,  while  we  live  here,  will 
then  all  be  swept  aside,  and  faith  and  hope  and  love  will 
possess  our  souls  unhampered  and  unhindered.  The  joy  they 
bring  to  earthly  life  may  be  only  like  the  streamlet  which 
threads  its  way  under  the  burning  sun,  but  the  joy  they  bring 
in  heaven  will  be  like  the  ocean,  and  more ;  it  will  be  unlim- 
ited as  eternity,  wide  as  infinity,  and  deep  as  the  heart  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us,  that,  whether  we  wake 
or  sleep,  we  should  live  together  with  him. 

Lord,  as  we  gace  into  thy  vacant  tomb  our  hearts  are  filled 
with  joy.  We  hear  thee  speaking  to  us.  "Because  I  live, 
ye  shall  live  also."  We  think  of  those  we  "have  loved  long 
since,  and  lost  awhile,"  and  our  tears  become  smiles  as  we 
remind  ourselves  that  those  who  love  thee  are  called  to  be 
with  thee.  Make  the  resurrection  truth  a  real  power  in  our 
lives.  Let  the  prospect  before  us  of  a  life  that  never  ends 
lead  to  the  silencing  of  complaints,  patience  in  trial,  joy  in 
service  for  thee,  and  the  revelation  of  our  risen  Lord  in  every 
word  and  action.    In  his  name.    Amen. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  THOUGHT 
AND  STUDY 

What  does  the  resurrection  of  Christ  mean  to  you? 

What  may  the  resurrection  of  Christ  mean  to  you? 

Why  did  the  early  Church  grow  so  rapidly?  Do  you  think 
the  vividness  of  the  belief  in  the  resurrection  and  the  thought 
that   Christ   would  come   soon,   had  anything  to   do  with  it? 

Why  are  Christians  today  so  lukewarm  in  their  efforts  for 
Christ?  What  would  be  the  effect  if  we  really  believed  that 
"the  Lord  is  at  hand"? 

It  was  once  said  of  a  Christian  :  "He  has  been  so  busy  liv- 
ing for  other  people,  in  the  name  of  God,  that  he  has  had  no 
time  to  think  of  death,"  What  do  you  think  of  the  life  of 
which  such  a  thing  could  be  said? 

How  shall  a  man  make  the  most  out  of  both  worlds? 


129 


DATE  DUE 

•^-iiiiiifnmifiri 

m^. 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  U.S.A. 

